Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost
by Obrusnine
Summary: After his last adventure, Nate thought his treasure hunting days were over. But he was wrong. After receiving one last job offer and accepting it, he's pulled into an ages old conspiracy, a hunt for three sacred artifacts long lost, a journey into his own past, and a globetrotting adventure worth remembering. Post-UC3. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1: Awakening

**Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost**

**By Obrusnine**

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><p><strong>Last updated: November 26th, 2012 FD<strong>

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Awakening<strong>

"_Not unto us, o Lord, not unto us, but unto your name grant glory!" __**- Motto of the Knights Templar**_

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><p>The air is cold.<p>

This was what Nate thought as he emerged from unconsciousness. Beyond that, he thought of the pain that all of a sudden hit him everywhere, but especially in his stomach where it struck harder with hunger. His tongue was dry, and he thirsted for water heavily.

He groaned in pain as he continued to stare at the back of his eyelids. He felt some kind of bindings around his wrists and ankles. He moved them slightly and heard the clink of chains. He also felt his back pressed to a cold stone wall.

He concluded that he was hanging from four manacles connected to a wall by chains.

He wondered where _they_ had taken him, and he was determined to find out.

He slowly opened his eyes. A dim light shined down the hallway from the right. Bars enclosed him within a dark cell. He was bound on the opposite wall from the bars. He looked right and found that he had been right; he was hanging from the wall on manacles.

Nate tried to speak, to call out to anyone who might be guarding him, but he only managed a strained and dry croak.

_So this must be the next stage in their torture plan. _He thought. _But… they already got what they want… Why is this necessary?_

He continued to wait there, eventually again losing consciousness. The minutes turned into hours but Nate didn't notice as time seemed to blur together for him.

_Are they just going to let me die here? _He wondered. He felt like he had been there for days.

Sometime later, he heard a distant sound. The sound was repeating and echoing constantly along the walls. Eventually, the sound became loud enough for him to recognize it as footsteps that were approaching at a relaxed pace.

_Okay, so now they're coming? _He thought. _But I still can't tell why…_

The footsteps kept approaching, and eventually a shadow was cast from the dim light down the hallway to the wall left from his cell bars.

A petite woman crossed into Nate's view. She was wearing a white beret with a blood red cross dead center on the front. Nathan knew it as the symbol of the Knights Templar.

But, this had been a source of wonder from him since this had all started over a month ago. The Knights Templar had been dissolved by Pope Clement the fifth back in 1312, the Templars had always relied on the support of the papacy. But there was no way Pope Benedict the sixteenth could have formed them again without anyone knowing.

_What does that mean? _Nate thought. _I know what they've become… but how did they survive their dissolution?_

He knew then he must be delirious, because these were the same thoughts he had been having for a while now.

But he knew this was not the time to think about this… as the woman entered the cell in her snow white uniform with the symbol of the Templars stamped on her chest. A brown belt met with a holster at her hip, which carried a Beretta M92F pistol. Her long brown flowing hair draped over her shoulders. She looked up at Nate, and her striking blue eyes met with Drake's own.

But Nate was not looking at them for long; he noticed the tray in her hand. There was water in a small cup and a small bit of what looked like mashed potatoes, but he wasn't sure exactly what it was.

He would have said something smart as she stepped up to him, but he was too thirsty. So all he said was, "Water..."

"Now what exactly do you think I'm here for mate…? To eat with the starving tortured man hanging from the wall?" She asked. She had a distinctly British accent.

"Water..." Nate repeated weakly.

"Oh _fine_!" She said, grabbing the cup and bringing it to Nate's lips. He drank the entire cup in a single gulp.

"Please, more." Nate said, more strongly now that he could talk.

"Sorry, that's your quota for today." She said with a sneer.

"You bitch." Nate said with venom.

She laughed, "Oh I try, but apparently everyone here is good at wrangling insults from you. Just shut up and eat this... whatever it is so I can get going."

He did not particularly remember throwing insults at anyone but Jason, but maybe he'd been tortured more than he thought, and those memories had slipped away from him because of the pain… He didn't even want to think about the ramifications of that, so he paid attention as the woman took a spoon and put a bite into his mouth.

Nate nearly spit it out as the disgusting taste of it hit him, but he knew he needed the energy and ate it as fast as she gave it to him. He took the chance to test the manacles when she wasn't looking, moving them and looking to see if they had any give. He found that the wall connected to the chain binding his right hand was weak.

She finished feeding him and turned to leave.

"Wait a second!" Nate said urgently, keeping her within a good distance.

She turned her head to him and asked, "What?"

"What's your name?" He asked.

She turned to him smiling mischievously and said, "Stacey."

"Sorry about this Stacey." Nate said.

"What...?" She wondered curiously, but before she had a chance to ask what he meant, he jerked his hand on his right manacle as hard as he could and the wall binding the chain broke, releasing the chain and by extension Nate's arm.

Stacey's arm flew to the handgun at her hip and she started to bring it up towards Nate. But, his punch met the left side of her face at that moment and the gun flew out of her hand towards the wall. Upon hitting it, the gun discharged and the bullet popped the chain off if his left hand manacle.

Nate fell forward from the wall yelling right on top of "Stacey" as she was coming back from the punch. She fell backward onto the floor as Nate's head landed on the center of her stomach.

"Ouch!" She yelled. Nate's ankles were still bound to the wall and were hanging two feet off of the ground even as his face was pressed into it.

Stacey climbed away from Nate at which time he spotted the keys on her hip, he grabbed them and pulled them from her belt as she scooted out of his range. She immediately went for the gun on the other side of the room as Nate flipped over and used the keys to unbind his ankles. He managed to get them free in seconds but stood up and turned around to see Stacey pointing the Beretta at him from ten feet away.

"Nice try mate, now turn around and put your hands on your head." She said panting.

"Shit." Nate said, panting himself as he turned around and put his hands on his head. Stacey came up to him holstering the Beretta. She tried to grab his hand, pulling out a rope to tie his hands up. But Nate quickly flipped around, grabbing the Beretta from the holster.

She dropped the rope and grabbed and squeezed the wrist of the hand Nate held the gun in. He grunted in pain and dropped the gun. She tried to use her other hand to grab it, but he kicked the gun through the open cell door and into the wall.

Nate flipped around and tried to elbow her with his other arm, but Stacey grabbed his other arm and pushed him forward towards the wall harshly. He slammed into it face first and collapsed to the floor.

He got up groaning as she pulled out a combat knife from her hip sheath.

"Okay, I admit, your good." He said, but then he saw the knife. "Oh crap... why do you people always have to use knives?"

He raised his fists as he prepared to defend himself. She looked away and went for the radio at her hip.

Nate ran forward and tried to tackle her, but she grabbed him and lifted him over her shoulder… throwing him out into the hallway. As she lifted him he managed to grab the radio. He stood up groaning again and smashed the radio underfoot as he picked up the Beretta. He tried to point it at her, but she was on him already. She slapped the gun out of his hand and it went sliding down the hallway.

"Damn it..." He said, trying to punch her. But she grabbed his wrist and threw him towards the stone wall on the left. He recovered before hitting the wall and spun around to try and defend himself, but she was already gone, sprinting down the hallway towards the gun.

"Oh no you don't!" He yelled, sprinting after her. She picked up the gun and tried to spin around and shoot Nate. But he slammed into her and they both fell struggling to the ground as the gun was thrown farther down the hallway. She slashed at Drake with the knife she managed to keep on her, but Nate jumped up onto his feet. She did likewise and kneed him in-between the legs.

He groaned in pain and leaned forward. She delivered a swift punch to the face that sent him flying backward.

Nate stayed on the ground and was attempting to get up when her foot landed on his right hand and he looked up at her.

"It's not that I'm good..." She said. "It's just that you're not good enough."

He kicked at her legs with his right leg and managed to trip her, she fell backward with a scream. She tried to get up as soon as she hit the ground but Nate was too quick for her and climbed on top of her.

"What was that about not being good enough?" Nate asked. She merely glared at him and remained silent while she tried to struggle, but Nate had her down good and she gave up. He searched her pockets and found some duct tape and zip-ties. He flipped her over and bound her hands and ankles with the zip-ties. Then taped her mouth shut, although if they hadn't heard her already, he doubted anyone was nearby enough to hear her anyway.

Being quick about it, he grabbed her belt and tied it around his hips. To his surprise, he actually noticed that this was his own belt that she been using. It still had the stuff he carried with him, although the extras were stuff she'd obviously added. Maybe she had been about to use it as a mental combat type of thing before he had attacked her. Maybe she had always intended to turn back and look at him regardless of whether he called her or not.

He pulled the picture he always carried with him out of the back pouch. The blond that was his wife was revealed and he smiled slightly.

"Don't worry Elena..." He said. "I'm not leaving just yet."

He replaced the picture and searched for anything else that wasn't his. He found some kind of ID swipe card with Stacey's picture on it. He shrugged and looked around for a way out.

Spotting a doorway nearby, he headed through it and found himself in a small office. A desk, computer, and chair had been left disturbed and out of position. He assumed by Stacey.

He passed his eyes over them and found another door. He went and tried to open it, but he found it locked. There was a card scanner and keypad over the door-handle. He grabbed the ID card and swiped it. The light over the keypad remained red.

After ten seconds a negative beep sounded. He needed a key code. He turned around and returned to Stacey. She returned his gaze with a glare and he removed the tape from her lips harshly. She went through this unfazed.

"What's the key code to the door Stacey?" He asked.

"I'm not telling you." She said.

"Come on, I thought you knights had honor. I won our contest, so please give me the key code."

"Not happening."

"Not a speck of that knight honor in you is there?" Nate asked.

"Nope, I'm not a Knight. I'm a sergeant." She responded.

"Agh, the Templars and their ranks." He said. "But seriously, at this rate, with your lack of honor, do you really expect to become a Knight?"

She remained silent.

"Ooh, touched a nerve." Nate said.

"Fine, but next time I see you, we're going at it again." Stacey said. "Agreed?"

"Agreed."

"The code's 5256 pound. Go."

"Thanks Stacey."

"Go!"

Nate smiled and started to leave.

"Don't die." She said. "I want to do you in myself."

Nate gulped, and left. He returned to the door, swiped the card, and entered the key code. The light turned green and buzzed. There was a click as the lock released. He pulled open the door to reveal a cramped stone spiral staircase.

_Wow, this architecture... we're in a castle? _Nate thought. _This just gets better and better. _

He climbed the stairs until he reached a wooden door; he opened it and stepped out into a hallway. The light here was brighter than what had been in the dungeon and he was nearly blinded. He let his eyes adjust to the light and looked around, listening for sounds in the distance.

Hearing nothing, he walked to the nearest window. Gazing out, he found that the castle had a large moat… beyond that were a few scattered trees and lots of grass. He saw some buildings, but not very many.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching from both directions.

"Shit." He said to himself quietly.

He went through the nearest door and found himself in a mess hall. A janitor was cleaning the floors around the tables, and food was still left on them, leftovers from a lunch not that long ago. The janitor looked in his direction.

"Huh, who's there?" He asked. Nate jumped into a closet on his left whose door was luckily already open. It was obviously a closet for janitorial supplies. He heard the janitor place his mop back into the bucket and the stir of wheels as the janitor approached where he had been standing.

"I coulda sworn I just saw someone there..." The janitor said to himself as he walked toward the janitor's closet. "Maybe you ducked in there..."

Nate jumped out from the closet and before the janitor could yell, he punched him in the face, knocking him out cold.

"I'm really _not _in the mood." Nate said to himself. A pang of hunger hit him again and he approached the tables. He grabbed a few chicken legs from a large serving plate in the center of a one and devoured them. He then grabbed every single cup of water he could see and drank them.

He was concentrating so hard on his meal; he didn't hear the approaching footsteps from outside or the sound of the door opening.

He did hear however when a guard walked in saying, "Hey, Jack, you still cleaning in... Hey! Who are you?"

Nate dropped his food and a cup of water onto the floor which spilled and he sprinted for the door on the other side of the mess hall. The man lifted his C8 carbine and fired a few rounds at Drake, which hit above Nate's head as he dived through the door. There were two staircases ahead of him, he tried to climb them but the guard behind him set another few rounds his way so Nate dived off to the right, standing up and running as fast as he could.

He came to a turn and turned right only to find a squad of three guards waiting for him. A circular staircase was in the corner and he ran up into it as the three men sent bullets his way. He kept climbing until he found the next floor, but when he tried to open the door and leave the stairway he found more guards.

"Oh, hey guys… bye." He said before slamming the door shut and running up further as bullets penetrated the thin wood door.

He kept climbing and climbing because he couldn't get out of the staircase and he eventually reached the top. He exited the door to find himself at the top of one of the towers; he ran to the edge and looked down on the moat.

"Shit!" Nate said. He tried to run back to the stairs but he heard footsteps coming. He ran back to the edge, trying to think of what to do.

"Shit... shit... shit!" He said. Guards wearing Templar uniforms emerged onto the roof. Nate put his hands over his head.

"Hey, I surrender!" He yelled. "Don't shoot!"

They hesitated, and Nate noticed they were going to shoot him anyway. He guessed that they really didn't need him anymore and that the last few days had just been fun for them, but now it was getting out of hand. Not really thinking much, he made up his mind and sprinted toward the edge of the tower and jumped over the edge as they all sent bullets at him.


	2. Chapter 2: Arrival

**Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost**

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 4****th****, 2012 FD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Arrival<strong>

"_I can make more generals, but horses cost money." - _**Abraham Lincoln**

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><p><strong>One and a Half Months Ago<strong>

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><p>The taxi slowly pulled up in front of the house. Nate stared at it from the back seat with amazement as he saw how big it was. It was a huge white stone mansion built with flair, not just a house. The blue roofing perfectly offset its image.<p>

"Elena... this is your _house_?" He exclaimed.

"Well... yea. I know we always stayed at your place... before. But time for a change of scenery." Elena said.

"How did you afford this?" He asked as the driver pulled into Elena's driveway.

"Remember all that treasure we found back on the island where we thought was El Dorado four years ago?" Elena asked.

"Yea, we split it three ways." Nate said. "I got about five hundred thousand for it."

"Yea and you blew it all quick." Elena said. "First of all, I got the right buyers. I got three million for my share. The house cost a little more than half that, I donated another million and a quarter to charity and stored the last two hundred fifty grand in the bank. But, now that we're... together again, I want to save that for later."

They got out of the taxi slowly.

"Yea... well, I'm not the most, um... shrewd with money."

"No kidding, that's why I think I'll be managing our finances thanking you."

Nate chuckled guiltily as he grabbed their luggage out of the trunk and paid the driver. They walked up the rather long entrance sidewalk until they reached the front door. A black briefcase was next to the door.

"What's that?" Elena asked. Nate handed her one of their own briefcases and he picked up the case. There was a piece of paper with a note under it. He picked that up and read it out loud.

"_Do not open in the open."_

"What's that supposed to mean?" Elena asked.

"I'm not sure... let's find out."

They stepped inside, and Elena led them into the kitchen. Nate placed the briefcase on the spacious table and opened it. There was a small stack of money and a letter in the center.

Nate picked up the money and thumbed through it, it was ten thousand dollars in hundreds.

"Ten thousand dollars? What's going on?" Nate wondered out loud.

"Who would want to send us that much money?" Elena asked.

"I don't know... time to find out." Nate said, picking up the letter. He tore open the envelope and thumbed open the piece of paper, he began to read it out loud as he had with the note.

"_Dear Mr. Drake,_

_My name is George Parker. You will not have heard of me, but I have heard of you. I know that you are quite good at… acquiring... artifacts of specific origin for the right price. But, what most interests me is that you are quite willing to steal them._

_Here is a small amount of money to surge your appetite. But know that if you choose to accept this job, I can pay you enough money to set you and your wife for the rest of your lives._

_No matter if you want to refuse or accept this job, please pick up the phone at six sharp so we can speak details. _

_Sincerely, George Parker"_

"Nate... I know you're interested in this. Don't do it. Please, you promised you weren't going to do this anymore." Elena said, grabbing Nate's shoulders.

"I promised, I know. I'll tell him I'm not doing it." Nate said, grabbing her hand in his own and kissing her. "I'll even offer to return the money he has given us."

"Thank you. I... just don't want to go through this with you anymore." She said, hugging Nate close to her.

"I know. I'm sorry for putting you through that. I was stupid." Nate said, stroking her blond hair.

"I know. That you were sorry and that you were pretty stupid." She said, giving him a playful punch to the shoulder.

"Hey, not fair." He said.

Hours later, six o' clock finally arrived and Nate sat by the phone waiting. It rang exactly five seconds past six. He was obviously a man who kept his appointment. He picked up the phone and held it to his ear.

"Hello?" Nate said.

"Hi, I'm guessing you received my letter?" The man on the other line said. Nate recognized his accent as British.

"Your number was blocked."

"I am a man of privacy. As I'm sure you got from my letter, my name is George."

"Nate… although you obviously know that already. But that's not the point; I'm not doing it anymore. I'm not a treasure hunter for hire anymore. I'm not going to put my wife through that anymore, not again."

"I had a feeling you would say that. But you'll get interested really quick, believe me."

"No, I'm not doing it."

"Look, would you really be satisfied with normal work? You're not the one to go construction man are you?"

Nate said nothing.

"I didn't think so." George said. "But, don't worry. The job I want to give you, it's a very simple job. It has a very large payout. Mostly because... I know what you've been going through. I don't want you and your wife being torn apart because of mistakes you made. Please, let me just detail what I want you to do, and how much you'll be able to get from it. You can still refuse afterwards."

Nate thought it over for a moment then said, "I'm listening."

"Okay, good. Have you ever heard of the Ark of the Covenant mister Drake?"

"Yea, a chest constructed by Moses to hold the tablets the Ten Commandments is written on, later constructed again by Bezalel and Oholiab as a gold plated chest." Nate said. "It's also said to contain a few other Christian religious artifacts."

"Good." George responded.

"What about it? You want me to steal the Ark? How am I supposed to do that, no one knows where it is." Nate said.

"On the contrary, are you aware that two years ago the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ethiopia claimed to have it? He still claims that they have it and that they are holding it under heavy guard in a treasury near the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion. Patriarch Abune Paulos was actually going to show it off, but in the end he chose not to."

"Interesting... So you want me to go there and steal it? Are you forgetting it's a gilded chest? How am I supposed to get it out unseen?"

"Mister Drake, I actually do not want you to steal it. I merely need you to confirm its existence."

"How?"

"I'm going to need you to take pictures of every square inch of the chest. I should be able to confirm whether it is what they say it is or not."

"How would you be able to confirm that huh? No one's touched the Ark in a millennium."

"All will be revealed after the job takes place, and we meet personally."

"This doesn't mean anything; I'm not taking the job anyway."

"You haven't even heard how much I'm going to be paying you yet."

"Oh? How much?"

"One hundred million dollars."

Nate jumped to his feet and remained speechless for a few moments.

"A... hundred million dollars...?" Nate asked. "For such a simple job...?"

"Yes." George responded.

"But... why? Why would you want to pay me so much money?"

"Let's just say that I... have a personal interest in your lives." He said. "More then that I will not reveal until we meet. Besides... this is something I'd rather discuss with you in person."

_What does he mean a personal interest in our lives? Me and Elena? Who is this guy? _Nate thought.

"So will you take the job?" George asked.

"I... know I said I wouldn't. But a hundred million is a lot of money..." Nate said. "Let me... ask my wife first. I won't do it without her approval."

"Good mister Drake. I will call back to hear your response in one hour." He said.

A click resounded as he set down the phone on the other end. Nate hung up the phone. He set his face down on his fists. Elena walked into the room she had given Nate to use as his study and sat down on his lap. He put his arm around her.

"Oh no." Elena said as she looked at his face. "That's your thinking face. Why do you have that face on? You didn't accept that job did you? You promised Nate!"

She jumped up off of his lap furiously.

"No! I didn't, I swear." Nate said. Elena calmed down a little. "...I just told him I'd consider it."

"Nate!" Elena shouted at him.

"Look Elena, hear me out first." He pleaded. She considered this for a second that pulled up a chair next to him.

"Talk." She said simply.

"Okay, look. The job is simple, all I need to do is break in somewhere and take some snaps of an... artifact."

"What artifact would that be?"

"...uh... The Ark of the Covenant..."

"Are you kidding? You want to try and break in to the treasury near the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion? Are you insane?" She yelled jumping up from her chair.

"Wait, you know about that?" Nate asked curiously.

"Yes Nate, I do know about that. I'm a journalist remember! I keep up to date on these things." Elena said plummeting back into her chair. "But you didn't answer my questions."

"No, I'm not kidding. Yes I want to try and break in to the treasury near the Church. Yes, I guess I am pretty insane." Nate said. "But I wouldn't have met you if I wasn't, now would I have?"

"No... I guess I wouldn't." Elena said. "But I still don't understand why you want to break our promise for this."

"There are a few things actually..." Nate said.

"Like?"

"This man... he's going to pay us one hundred million dollars for this."

"What!" Elena yelled suddenly, jumping out of her chair again. "Why would he want to give us a hundred million dollars for something so simple? Well, relatively speaking simple."

"I'm... not sure. But that's the other reason I want to do this. This man claims to have some sort of personal interest in our lives. Ours, not just mines." Nate said. "I'm supposed to meet him afterward, and he said that all would be revealed then. I'm sorry Elena, but I just need to find out who he is. Do you know?"

"No... the name George Parker doesn't ring a bell." Elena said sitting back down. "But somehow I don't think that's his real name."

"He had a British accent, and he sounds pretty old." Nate said. "Like Sully with less... um... Well, you know."

"Yea, I know. But the only person we know with a British accent is Charlie." Elena said. "He isn't exactly very old... or else he and Chloe wouldn't be dating."

"Wait a second, back up. Him and Chloe are dating?" Nate said surprisingly.

"Oh Jesus Nate, I told you on the plane ride back over here."

"Come on! I was eating... not fair..."

"Ugh... you can be such a pig Nate."

They both laughed.

"No but seriously, their dating?" Nate asked again.

Elena just shook her head disbelievingly.

"Fine Nate, take the job." Elena said seriously. "Under one condition."

"What?" Nate asked.

"I'm coming with you."

"Elena..."

"Nate, you're not breaking into such a highly secure treasury without me. You knew what you were getting into when you married me, we're in this together."

"Okay... not like there is any way to refuse you."

"You bet not."

Nate smiled.

"One last thing Nate." Elena said standing up.

"What now?" Nate asked.

"This is the last one Nate. After this, never again."

"Never." Nate said. "You have my word."

"Good." Elena said, and left.

Nate waiting by the phone until it rang again. He picked it up before it rang again.

"Fine, we'll do it. But I have a few conditions." He said.

"Like?" George asked.

"Elena is coming with me, and I'm going to ask a few friends of mine to help out to. I want you to give me five million apiece for them; somehow I don't think that's a problem for you."

"It isn't, and that's fine."

"Beyond that, I'm going to need some equipment. I'm going to need four Daninject Projector Pistols for tranquilizing guards, I'm going to need a van equipped with some high-tech infiltration equipment, I'm going to need four military grade radios that can't be intercepted, and I'm going to list off a few other things I need. That acceptable to you?" Nate asked.

"Very, sounds like we have a plan." George said.

"So... we're going to do it then." Nate said, more to himself then the man on the other end of the line. "Time to go see the Ark of the Covenant."

"Indeed Mister Drake, indeed."

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><p><strong>There we are, Chapter 2 complete! I hope you liked the chapter, and I definitely hope I inspired some more mystery here. I know I got a bit more of Nate's lightheartedness across, and I did some relationship stuff between Nate and Elena.<strong>

**As far as who George Parker really is, you're just going to have to wait to find out.**


	3. Chapter 3: Infiltration

**For future reference, Amharic is the primary language in Ethiopia.**

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><p><strong>Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost<strong>

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 4****th****, 2012 FD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Infiltration<strong>

"_Anytime four new yorkers get into a cab without arguing, a bank robbery has just taken place." _**-Johnny Carson**

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><p><strong>One Week Later<strong>

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><p>"There it is." Nate said as Chloe pulled the van into position a reasonable distance away from the white stone building.<p>

"Wow, for something built of white stone that's quite foreboding." Chloe said.

"Okay, here's the plan guys. Me and Charlie are gonna climb up the trees and drop down over the wall." Nate said. "Elena, I need you to monitor the satellite imaging mister Parker was kind enough to provide for us. Chloe, just be prepared to drive as fast as you can."

"I always am." Chloe said with a wink.

"Wait, we have to climb trees?" Charlie asked.

"Yes Charlie, we're climbing trees. Now here, everyone take one of these." Nate said, pulling out the Daninject tranquilizer guns he had requested and throwing one to Charlie and Elena. He brought one up to Chloe and tried to hand her one but she raised her hand up and pulled out a Makarov pistol from her hip.

"I prefer to stick with my own hardware love. It works faster." Chloe said with a wink.

"Fine." Nate said throwing her tranquilizer gun back into the box. "Okay, everyone know what they're doing?"

"Yes Nate, be careful." Elena said, giving him a kiss.

"You to honey." Nate said, kissing her back. She blushed.

"I'm ready to go." Charlie said.

"Don't worry about us, we'll be fine." Chloe said climbing out of her seat and kissing Charlie. "You be careful to hun."

Charlie merely smiled in response. Nate rolled his eyes, he had still not been able to get used to this.

"Say, where's Sully by the way? Woulda thought you'd bring that chap along." Charlie asked.

"He said he was still resting from that adventure we had back in the desert. I think he just wants to fix up that junker of a plane we came over here in." Nate said.

"Hey, wake up. We've got a job to do." Chloe said.

"She's right Charlie, let's go." Nate said opening the van's back door and jumping out. Charlie followed close behind him.

They slowly crept towards the walls, lying down in the brush to avoid being spotted by the guards stationed up on the walls.

"What exactly are we doing this for again?" Charlie whispered as they crawled through the grass towards the tree line.

"Shush." Nate whispered back aggressively. Charlie kept mumbling complaints in the background.

They reached the tree line after a few minutes of silent crawling through the night. Nate found a tree that would reach to the top of the wall and went to it. He pointed Charlie at another one nearby as he began climbing. They reached the correct parts of the wall quickly and stepped across the branches, jumping down on the gap on the top for people to walk on.

Nate looked to the left and saw there was a guard nearby; they were nearby a small stone tower so he and Charlie walked into it.

"Here." Nate whispered handing Charlie a pouch of tranquilizer darts. "That CO2 pump attached to your tranquilizer will only work for ten or so shots… don't waste those darts."

"I won't." Charlie said as he loaded a dart into the pistol. "Why didn't you get some more practical tranquilizer guns? These look like they belong in a zoo..."

"I don't want it to look like were carrying real guns." Nate said as he finished loading a dart into his own. "These guys won't shoot at us unless we look like we have some lethal intent. They have guns though, and those black uniforms they wear make them a little hard to spot, and they'll shoot us if it looks like we're going to do likewise. These darts are strong enough to knock out an elephant though; we should have the time to knock them out before they call for their fellow guards if we get caught."

"What about cameras? What are we going to do about those?" Charlie asked.

"Take this." Nate said, handing him a small box with a red switch flipped on. "I have one to. They'll loop the last 60 seconds the camera recorded 10 seconds before we show up."

"What? What the hell are these things?"

"I don't know. Mister Parker provided us with a lot of these kinds of things."

"Whatever mate, as long as I get my five million I'm satisfied."

Nate rolled his eyes and opened the door to the stairs that led down the tower. They went down them and found a door at the bottom. Nate opened it a crack and saw a two guards walking by the right of the door. He waited for them to pass.

"Okay, all clear." Nate said as they walked away and they left the tower. They then sprinted and dived into the brush near the wall of the building.

"Where are we going to make our entrance mate?" Charlie asked in a low whisper.

"Directly ahead to the left, there is a door they always leave unlocked. It's into the kitchen, which is empty at this time of night." Nate whispered back as he began crawling forward towards the door.

"Okay mate, right behind you."

They reached the door quickly. Nate looked around before standing up and then bolted through the door with Charlie close behind. He closed it behind him and left it unlocked.

"Okay, we should be safe in here." Nate whispered.

"How do you know all of this? Did you scope out this building before me and Chloe showed up?" Charlie asked.

"No, Parker was kind enough to provide us with what we needed to know. Anyways, we're going to be making some pretty complex traveling across the building. We need to get to the Guardian Monks room in the basement and steal the key to the Ark's chamber from him." Nate said. "Then we go in and photograph every square inch of that chamber."

"Answer me a question, how exactly did the Ark of the Covenant end up here in some obscure church in Ethiopia?"

"According to tradition, the Ark came to Ethiopia with Menelik the first after visiting his father King Solomon."

"Just who are they?"

"Menelik the first was the first Jewish emperor of Ethiopia; King Solomon was the king of Israel."

"How long ago?"

"Oh, three-thousand years or so, I don't really know."

"I thought you were the expert..."

"I don't know much about this particular subject."

"Bollocks."

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. Let's just get moving."

"See that's something we can both agree on." Nate said as they stepped out of the kitchen. They quickly navigated through the building, avoiding patrols of guards thanks to Parker's knowledge of the place. He wondered if the man had been here before, he described it over the phone in such detail that wasn't explained on the floor-plan he had given them.

Eventually they reached the entrance to the basement and quickly headed down the stairs and to the Guardian Monks room.

"Who exactly is this Guardian Monk?" Charlie asked quietly.

"He's the only one allowed to view the Ark. He's also the only one with the key to the room. But Parker's pretty sure they've added some more high-tech security to protect the Ark. He said that we're going to have to capture him and get him to open the door for us." Nate responded. "There's his room, shush."

They approached the door silently and Nate withdrew a Beretta M92F from his pocket.

"I thought we weren't going to use guns..." Charlie whispered.

"How do you think we're going to capture him otherwise?" Nate asked.

"That is a good point."

"Here." Nate said, giving him the gun. "I'm the one who knows the guard routes, you're going to have to escort him while I make sure we're staying hidden."

"Isn't there any guards at the chamber?" Charlie asked.

"No, the Guardian Monk is usually the only one allowed anywhere near it. There's a checkpoint on the way, but there is a secret shortcut that Parker knew about to go around the checkpoint."

"Let's just hope the guy is reliable."

"He hasn't double-crossed us yet." Nate said as they arrived at the door. Charlie kicked it in pointing the gun at the Monk who was having a drink. Nate was shouting at him in Amharic to get down on the floor and shut up. Seeing the gun, he quickly did what he was told.

"What do you want?" He asked Nate in Amharic.

"We need your help to get to the Ark." Nate responded in Amharic.

"What are you guys saying?" Charlie asked in English.

"Don't worry about it." Nate answered also in English. He then turned back to the monk and began speaking in Amharic again.

"As I was saying, I need your help to get to the Ark."

"What? Are you going to steal it?"

"No, we're just going to take some pictures."

"Really? You're not trying to take it?" The monk asked.

Nate shook his head.

"Good, just make sure those pictures get out. We don't have any right to keep holding such an artifact from everyone else. It is wrong."

"I apologize if I don't believe you're really trying to help us out. Go to that man and keep quiet."

"Yes sir, but what about the guards' checkpoint? They are not going to let you through you know..."

"There's a way around, just stick with that man."

The monk nodded and went over to Charlie.

"Come." Nate said in Amharic and then English.

They navigated through the basements under the Church treasury and found the shortcut where it was supposed to be. They quickly took it and arrived at the vault.

"I have to warn you of something." The monk said.

"What?" Nate asked.

"I'm not supposed to be in there right now. The second I open the vault an alarm will go off. You will have to be quick."

"Hm... I thought that you were the only one allowed to see it. The guards won't come here, they'll wait outside. We should be able to escape the way we came, now open the door."

"Yessir."

The monk went to the door and pulled a swipe card out from a pocket in his robe. He swiped the card, typed a code in on the keypad, used his finger on the finger scanner and then opened one of his eyes wide to a part of the door. There was a glow and there was a buzzing sound, the large steel vault door swung open, and alarm bells started ringing.

"Shit, that's bad." Charlie yelled surprised. "You did that on purpose you stupid bugger!"

He pointed the gun at the monk, who fell to his knee in fright of it.

"No Charlie! Leave him alone, he said that was going to happen. They won't come straight here; we'll be able to escape the way we came." Nate said.

"Bollocks, why didn't you tell me that?" Charlie said, stashing the gun in his pocket.

"Sorry." Nate said, he stepped through the door. The lights came on, and he saw what he was looking for right away.

On top of a raised platform dead ahead was a chest, although it was made of wood, not plated with gold.

"Hm... that means this must be the one Moses constructed originally to protect the tablets..." Nate said. He pulled out his camera and started rapidly taking pictures of the outside of the chest, he would've lifted it up to check the bottom, but the chest looked delicate.

He stepped forward to the chest and lifted the latch that kept the chest securely shut. He slowly opened it, and there they were. Two stone tablets with the Ten Commandments written on them. He would've examined them at length, but he was aware he didn't have the time.

Charlie walked up behind him.

"So that's it?" Charlie asked, Nate jumped.

"Hey, don't sneak up on me like that!" Nate said.

"Fine, just hurry up and snap the pictures, we need to get going soon. No matter if they are allowed to see it or not, their patience will wear out at some time."

"Yea, sorry." Nate said, taking the camera and taking as many pictures as he could. "Okay, I've got em."

"Good, let's go." Charlie said.

As they turned to leave, he said sorry to the monk in his native language and they both bustled through the shortcut.

"We'd better hurry!" Nate whispered as they ran through the tunnel at full clip. "They'll be right on our tails."

"Gotcha mate, the usual."

"Ha, yea, the usual."

* * *

><p><strong>Wooh... I have been the exhausting the crap out of my head writing this! It's so fun to hear the comments you guys have. Please, review my story if you can. Positive feedback keeps me a rollin. <strong>

**Some surprises in store in the next chapter, and the chapter after that will completely blow your mind with a very surprising revelation about a certain character...**


	4. Chapter 4: Escape

**Sorry I haven't written in so long. I'm buried in school work at the moment, I've been writing this bit by bit for a few days now. I hope you like the chapter, I know I did. After all I'm the one who wrote it!**

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><p><strong>Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost<strong>

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 4****th****, 2012 FD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: Escape<strong>

"_A horse is a projection of peoples' hope for themselves- strong, powerful, and beautiful –and it has a chance of giving us escape from our mundane existence." _**–Pam Brown**

* * *

><p>Nate and Charlie were running for their lives through the dark shortcut.<p>

"Give me back the gun Charlie." Nate said, Charlie threw him the gun. Nate loaded the gun.

"What? The gun wasn't loaded!" Charlie asked disbelievingly.

"Sorry, I forgot." Nate said, pulling back the top of the gun to insert the bullet into the chamber.

"Bollocks!" Charlie said. "What happened to being non-threatening?"

"Yea… about that. Now that we've seen the Ark, they won't be so nonchalant as to throw us in jail. They'll kill us…"

"Shit."

"Just keep running!" Nate yelled, speeding up.

They rounded the corner at top speed and almost ran straight into three guards. They had their guns up within seconds and opened fire. Nate and Charlie jumped in opposite directions while Nate lifted his gun and shot all three guards as he was falling. They collapsed onto the ground bleeding while Nate and Charlie got back on their feet.

"Why didn't you bring two guns?" Charlie asked.

"Sorry." Nate said.

"Sorry doesn't even begin to cover it mate."

"Just shut up and keep moving!"

They both started running as fast as they could. The treasury was on high alert now and they were having a much harder time getting past the guards. They just kept running though, and Nate shot any guards they came across. But then they got to the kitchen, where their planned escape route was.

About five guards we're standing near the door. Nate bent around the door and shot two of them while the others returned fire, grabbed their shot friends, and retreated into the kitchen. He heard a clank of metal as the guards over turned tables. It sounded louder than it should have though…

Nate rounded the corner and went up to the door with Charlie close behind him. He tried peeking around the corner and found that twenty guards were set up at the tables and they all opened fire on him. He went back around the corner just in time as bullets buried themselves in the wall behind where his head had just been.

"Shit! There's too many of them in there!" Nate yelled. He heard footsteps as the enemy broke cover to rush them. He bent around the corner and popped off a few shots. He managed to hit two of them before the others fell back behind the tables and Nate yet again took fire and hit the wall in the nick of time.

"We can't stay here much longer." Charlie yelled.

"Call Chloe, have her find us another way out!" Nate yelled back, bending around the corner and popping off a few shots when the fire broke again.

* * *

><p><strong>Elsewhere…<strong>

* * *

><p>"Damn it, when are they going to call us?" Elena said, staring at the radio intensely.<p>

"Don't worry so much love." Chloe said, stretching her legs on the top of the wheel. "Nate and Charlie will be perfectly fine."

"Hm… I'm not so sure." Elena replied, looking back.

"Why not?"

"I have a bad feeling about this…"

"I have those all the time. Just ignore them, they're usually wrong."

Elena remained silent. Chloe took her legs off the wheel and came to Elena, putting her arm around Elena's shoulder. But before she could say anything, the alarm klaxons started ringing in the distance… disturbing the previously eerily silent night.

"What's that?" Elena asked.

"I don't know…" Chloe said, walking up to the front of the van and looking towards the base. "Shit. That's the base alarm."

"God, Nate…" Elena said in an annoyed tone.

"What did you expect? There both as subtle as elephants…" Chloe said.

"Not just in sneaking…" Elena said jokingly.

They both chuckled nervously, as their mouths both fell to a slight frown. Chloe pulled her radio out.

"This is Chloe, what's going on in there?"

"Nighthawk to Eagle…" Charlie said over the radio.

"I thought we told you to stop with the code Charlie, these radios can't be intercepted." Elena said into her own radio in annoyance.

"Fine, but that's not the… hey watch out Nate!" Charlie said. Gunfire was blazing on the other end of the radio.

"Don't worry about it!" Nate said in the background.

"Hey, love, we need a way out of here." Charlie said to them.

"Don't worry hun, I've got a plan." Chloe said.

"Why don't I like the sound of that?" Elena asked.

"Guys, head to the front door, but stay a little away from it."

"Sounds like a…" Charlie began to say. There was a thump as Nate snatched the radio from him.

"Take this and cover our back Charlie." Nate said.

"Got it." Charlie said.

"The front door? Are you serious?" Nate asked.

"Unfortunately, but this isn't the time to argue. Get moving." Chloe said.

"Got it, meet you there I guess." Nate said, and the radio turned off. Chloe put it back on her hip and picked up a case in the back of the van. She opened the back doors to the now noisy night.

"Come on, we're going on a field trip." Chloe said.

"I've got a bad feeling again." Elena said.

"Believe me when I say you have a right to be." Chloe said.

* * *

><p><strong>Back inside…<strong>

* * *

><p>"Hurry up Nate, they're catching up!" Charlie shouted as he put a few bullets in the men chasing them as they ran for the front door.<p>

Someone came around the corner in front of them and Nate clocked him before he had the chance to shoot at them.

"I know Charlie!" Nate yelled, rounding the corner the guard had come around. "Just stay behind me and keep shooting!"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really."

"Perfect…"

They kept running across random corners, working their way slowly toward the entrance hall. According to what Parker had told them, there were no set guard routes during an alert. This was so intruders had a hard time finding a safe path out.

Nate guessed that the only reason guards had been posted in the kitchen is because somehow they had guessed that they went through there. Or maybe they asked one of the guards they tranquilized on the way in.

Nate left these thoughts behind and kept running until they finally were nearing the entrance hall.

"We're almost there." Nate whispered.

"Good." Charlie said. They rounded the corner to the entrance hall, and found themselves face to face with a small army of guards. But they weren't the same kind as the others. They were wearing white uniforms, a blood red cross across their torsos. Nate recognized it as the symbol of the Templars.

"Stand down men, but keep those guns trained on them." A male voice said, distinctly American.

One of the men said, "You two, put your hands up."

They complied.

"What now…?" Charlie asked.

"I don't know…" Nate whispered back.

"What? You don't know? I thought you thought this through!"

"I don't plan, I… improvise."

"Bollocks."

There was a break in the center of the crowd of them. A man wearing a steel helmet painted white with the blood red cross on it stepped into the front. Nate flipped his radio on.

* * *

><p><strong>Back with Chloe and Elena…<strong>

* * *

><p>"What's in that case?" Elena asked as they climbed the hill.<p>

"You'll know when I use it. Just… keep… climbing…" Chloe said, lifting the hefty case along with her. "We're almost there."

So, they kept climbing. They were indeed getting close to the top, when suddenly, the radio came on again. They both froze where they were.

"Who are you people?" Nate asked.

"I am the one asking the questions here!" Another voice said, there was the thump of a punch landing. Chloe heard Nate grunt. Elena and her locked eyes, they saw worry in each other's eyes.

"Who are you?" The other voice said.

"We're… an interested party." Nate said… another thump of a punch landing. There was another grunt as well.

"Answer me or you die where you stand!" The other voice said, there was the sound of a gun being drawn. Chloe and Elena quickened their climb.

"Chloe now would be a good time…" Nate whispered.

"What did you say?" The other voice said.

"Huh, I didn't say anything." Nate said.

"Your insolence does not serve you well. I suggest you tell me who you are… now!"

"My name's Bob, this is… Marley." Nate said.

"You are lying."

"No, we swear." Charlie said. Chloe and Elena reached the top of the hill. Chloe quickly worked open the case to find an RPG.

* * *

><p><strong>Back inside…<strong>

* * *

><p>The man removed his steel helmet. He had a brown eye with a long curved scar on his left eye. That iris was cloudy, which meant that he was probably blind there from an injury incurred a long time ago. He had an average nose; his mouth was curved in anger. Nate could see a fire in his remaining eye. He had flat black hair that projected sharply off the top of his head.<p>

"Do you know who I am?" He said. He let the question hang in the air as Nate and Charlie looked at each other. "No, of course you don't. As it should be."

"Answer me a question." Nate said. "Just one, no need for more… hitting. What is the Knights-Templar doing here? How do you people even still exist? Your order was dissolved centuries ago, so you're either imitators, or… the real thing."

The man laughed.

"I assure you we are the real thing, but, now you know too much." He said, cocking the pistol. "Any last words?"

"Who are you?" Nate asked.

"I am Grandmaster Jason Tepla, Knights-Templar." He said.

"Nate now!" Chloe suddenly shouted over the two-way radio. There was a small explosion in the distance on a hill. But, Jason didn't turn to look. He pulled the trigger, and the gun went off in Nate's gut. He spit blood onto the floor and collapsed forward.

"Nate!" Charlie yelled, and then the front door exploded. The mini army went flying, flaming pieces of the door burst inward hitting a lot of the army. Some died instantly; others were thrown far into the opposite wall. The room burst into chaos, people screaming and running every which way. Jason Tepla had disappeared.

Charlie went to Nate and flipped him over. He was still conscious.

"Wh-what happened?" Nate asked weakly. Charlie pressed his hands down on Nate's wound and he screamed.

"What's going on down there?" Elena asked intensely over the radio.

"Nate's been hit… that bastard shot him." Charlie yelled over the flames blazing in the corners. He coughed as smoke started inhibiting his breathing.

"Can you move him Charlie?" Chloe asked.

"No, it's bad."

"Shit, we'll be right down." Chloe said.

* * *

><p><strong>Back Outside…<strong>

* * *

><p>"Come on love, we need to get back to the van." Chloe said as she threw the RPG she had just fired onto the ground. From up here, she could see the chaos the rocket had wrought on the base. People were running around in all directions, trying to figure out what was going on.<p>

"No, we need to go help Nate!" Elena said, trying to run towards the building. Chloe grabbed her arm.

"That's what we're going to do, come on!" Chloe yelled at her. Elena looked back and nodded. They both started scaling down the tall hill.

They were fast; they made it back to the van quickly. Elena jumped in the back and grabbed the medical supplies. Chloe jumped in the front seat and the second Elena had closed the back door, she put the van in drive and got onto the road, driving down toward the complex.

"Get ready." Chloe yelled as she sped down the road toward the wooden gates.

"What are you doing?" Elena yelled back over the sounds of both the screaming engine and the bumping of the road.

"You'll see." She responded.

Then the van slammed into the gates on top speed, the windshield cracked heavily, but luckily didn't burst. The wooden gate exploded inward and they rocketed straight through.

"Shit." Chloe said, as she couldn't see through the cracked windshield. She pulled out her gun and shot the windshield. It burst into pieces that fell down like bits of sand onto the floor of the van. The entrance hall of the building was dead ahead, and she could see Charlie trying to stop Nate's bleeding. She replaced the gun in her holster.

She brought the van into a tight 180 degree spin and drove into the entrance hall backwards. Elena opened the vans back door and jumped out to help Charlie.

"How is he doing?" Elena asked as she started to unpack the supplies.

"Not good, he needs to get to a doctor." Charlie said.

Elena nodded and brought out the disinfectant.

"Nate, I need to disinfect your wound before I can wrap you up."

"I…Is it going to hurt…?" Nate asked.

"Yes Nate. I'm sorry." She said, starting to cry.

"H-hey, don't worry about it. Be strong." He said, putting his hand on the side of her face. "Give me something to bite on."

"O... okay." Elena said, grabbing a cord from the box and putting it in his mouth.

"Elena, let me do it." Chloe said, walking up.

"Yeah…" She said, giving up the disinfectant. She circled around to his other side and Charlie got into the back of the van, alert.

"Nate! Nate!" Chloe said, as he closed his eyes.

"D-don't worry. I-I'm awake." Nate said opening his eyes.

"Stay awake." Elena said, grabbing his hand. He squeezed her hand back to.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." He said.

"You better be. I love you… Nate." She said. "I love you."

"I… love you to Elena." He said, he looked back at Chloe. "I'm… ready."

Chloe nodded, and applied the disinfectant to the gunshot wound.

He screamed pitifully, Elena's eyes started pouring tears.

"Bollocks." Charlie said, looking away.

"The… the bullet looks like it went right through. I won't have to extract it." Chloe said. She started bandaging the wound, lifting up Nate's back to do so. "Charlie, find a stretcher in that damned van."

"I'm on it." He said, getting up and rummaging through the stuff in the van.

Nate's eyes started to drift closed again.

"Nate! Stay with me Nate!" Elena shouted at him.

"I'm… awake… honey…" Nate said weakly.

"Stay that way; I'm not going to lose you!" She said.

"You… you won't. I… won't leave you. Love you… love you…" He said.

"I love you to Nate, now stay awake!" Elena said, putting his hand against her face.

"Charlie! I need that damn stretcher! NOW!" Chloe shouted.

"Got it!" Charlie said. He stepped out of the fan and gave the stretcher to Chloe.

"You're going to have to help me with him Charlie." Chloe said.

"Yea… I know. Let's do it." He said.

"Elena, I'm sorry but you've got to move." Chloe said. She stood up and backed away, crying quietly into her hands. Chloe laid out the stretcher next to Nate. "Get his head Charlie."

"Yea." Charlie said, going around Nate's head and getting ready to lift him. Chloe got his legs.

"Now." She said, and they lifted him and set him down on the stretcher. Charlie grabbed the two poles on his side and Chloe the two on hers. Nate was mumbling incoherently.

"Don't worry mate, you'll be fine… You better be fine…" Charlie said.

"Ha, worried about me big guy." Nate said.

Charlie nodded.

"Don't be, I'll… I'll be fine… fine… fine…" Nate said, closing his eyes.

"Nate! Wake up!" Chloe said, he didn't respond.

"Bollocks!" Charlie yelled. "Wake up Nate!"

"Just get him into the van Charlie!"

He said nothing and they lifted him into the van. Charlie jumped in and Chloe went around to the front seat. Elena ran up to the back of the van, jumping in.

"Nate! Wake up! Nate!" Elena shouted, he didn't wake. Charlie checked his pulse.

"Don't worry, he's just sleeping." Charlie said, he looked pale.

"Chloe, get us to a hospital… he needs a doctor." Elena said tearfully.

"I'm on it." Chloe said, Elena put her head onto her knees, and continued crying, hoping Nate would be okay.

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><p><strong>Whoa… I… I did really well that time I think. Please read and review, it keeps me writing.<strong>


	5. Chapter 5: Revelation

**It's time everyone, this chapter isn't called Revelation for no reason. You are about to read the most crucial chapter in the story so far. Be prepared for George Parker to finally reveal his identity. A bomb is about to be dropped. Get ready.**

* * *

><p><strong>Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost<strong>

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 26th, 2012 FD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: Revelation<strong>

"_My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: he believed in me." __**~Jim Valvano**_

* * *

><p>The van raced along the now asphalt road.<p>

"Geez, that dirt track they call a road into that treasury was awful." Chloe said. "You'd think they'd pave a road to such an important place…"

"Whatever, keep going." Elena said, sitting hunched over in the passenger seat.

"Don't worry Elena, he'll be fine." Chloe said. "He's tougher then you think."

"No, I know exactly how tough he is. He's not as tough as he thinks."

"You should believe in him."

Elena made to make a retort, but stayed silent.

"Hey, guys, he's waking up." Charlie said from the back. Elena jumped to her feet and made her way to the back.

Nate was indeed waking up; he opened his eyes slowly, and then looked at Charlie.

"Hey… big guy. Why do you look so hairy…?" Nate said, giggling slightly.

"Oh, you're up the deep end now mate." Charlie said.

Elena bent down next to Nate.

"Are you all right Nate? We're going to a hospital." She said tiredly.

"Hey honey, what's up…? You see hairy Charlie? He's like an ape." Nate said weakly, imitating a gorilla. He giggled again. "Hey, you should probably call Georgie!"

"What…?" Elena asked weakly.

"Don't mind him, he's pain drunk." Charlie said.

"Who's Georgie Nate?" Elena asked.

"You know, Mr. Parker. Da guy wit' da cash!" Nate said.

"How do I call him Nate?"

"I got a cell in my pocket; it has his number in it. It came with the van." Nate said, he eyes swinging out of focus as he hummed an unfamiliar tune. Elena gently took the cellphone from Nate's pocket.

"Get some rest Nate, we'll be there soon." She said, kissing Nate lightly.

"Okay…" He said. Charlie just shook his head.

Elena went and sat back down in the passenger's seat. She opened the flip-phone and went into the contacts menu. It had a single number in it, George Parker's. She called the number and put the phone to her ear. It rang twice and then someone picked up.

"Is that you Mr. Drake? Were you successful?" He asked.

"That's Mrs. Drake to you Mr. Parker." She said.

"Why, hello dear. It's nice to finally speak to you."

"I honestly don't care what you think."

"Uh… okay… Were you successful?" He asked, obviously a little bit stunned but her reaction.

"Yea, we got your pictures. But that doesn't matter, we can't meet anytime soon. Nate got shot before we left. We're heading to the nearest hospital." Elena said.

"What? Is Nathan okay…?" He asked, he sounded worried… very worried.

"Nathan? You've never called him anything but Mister Drake? Why exactly is it you care so much?" Elena asked rapid firing questions.

"That's something we really should speak about face to face… Meanwhile, I assume since you're going to the hospital, he's still alive. If so, you should know this. Ethiopian hospitals can't be relied on. I'm going to program that GPS in the front from here; it will guide you to a reliable medical facility nearby. I… guess I own it."

"You own it? Just who are you Mr. Parker?" Elena pressed.

"All in good time… Elena. Just bring Nathan to the medical facility. It will be fifteen minutes farther then the nearest hospital. I'll meet you there later." He said.

"Okay then…" Elena said.

"Be careful." He said, and his last words were in a distinctly American accent. But he hung up before she could question him about it.

"Chloe, follow the directions on that GPS." Elena said.

"What direc…" Chloe started to say, and then the dashboard mounted GPS turned on. "Never mind."

**45 Minutes Later…**

"Here it is… curious place." Chloe said, as they pulled in front of the well hidden small building. Despite being well hidden, it had obviously been built with good funding. The building was solid; two people were already waiting next to a door big enough to fit the van.

"Over here!" The girl in doctor's scrubs on the left said, waving her arms in the air. She had one of those hospital bed carts with her. Another one stood on the left; he wore a mask and hat and wore a doctor's lab coat. From what Elena could see of his face, he looked gruff and threatening and wore glasses. But somehow Elena could also see that he was compassionate and dedicated under his appearance.

Elena suddenly felt a sudden surge of confidence.

"Over there Chloe." Elena said, pointing.

"I see them." Chloe responded, pulling that van to the curb in front of them. Elena stood up and threw open the back doors.

"In here." She called. The female nurse came to the back and climbed in.

"Hm…" She said. "From what I can see he looks to be in pretty bad shape."

She stood up and jumped out the back.

"Doctor Anderson, he's not looking very well. You should tell the other nurses to start prepping morphine, or else the pains going to start hitting him like a bitch soon." She said.

"Yes, I'll get that ready." He said, his voice reflecting his gruff appearance. "Get the patient on the bed; I'll check him over when he's in the room."

The doctor stepped back into the building.

"Okay, mind helping me getting him onto the bed miss…?" The nurse asked.

"Elena, Elena Drake." Elena said.

"Good then, let me just grab the bed." She said, running back over to the door and grabbing the cart, putting it behind the van. "Just make sure his head doesn't hit anything while I slide him onto the bed."

She grabbed Nate by the legs while Elena grabbed his head; she slid him swiftly out of the van and onto the cart.

"There's a parking lot out back for the van." The nurse said, lifting the bars on the side of the bed.

"These two will put it back there; I'll stay with my husband." Elena said firmly.

"Not a problem Mrs. Drake, stay close by the cart. But try to stay out of the way of the other nurses."

"Not a problem, let's go."

The nurse started pushing the cart and made right through the automatic doors at a brisk pace. A lot of nurses we're ready.

"Please step back miss." One of them said as she came to Elena's side of the cart with an IV bag. Elena stepped back respectfully, but stayed close to the cart.

"Get him a blanket." One of the others said, the original nurse grabbed one out from under the cart.

"Bandaging is good, but it's not going to hold out much longer. Start that morphine drip and let's get him to the room so Doc Andy can check him out." The original nurse said. Elena could now see that there were three of them. They started racing the cart along the hallway.

She seemed to be the nurse in charge here.

"Janet, go grab some fresh bandages. Looks like the wounds already been disinfected so we shouldn't worry about it." She said. The one Elena assumed was Janet nodded and ran off as they pulled Nate into "Exam Room One".

The one they had called Doctor Anderson was already sitting there waiting. He grabbed the IV bag with the morphine in it off the built in rack as the other nurses lifted Nate onto the hospital bed. The doctor hung the IV bag on the rack next to him.

"Hm… I'm going to need scissors and fresh bandages." He said.

"Janet is getting the bandages already." The lead nurse said, grabbing scissors out of a nearby drawer and dipping them into alcohol to sterilize them. She handed the scissors to the doctor and he immediately started scissoring off Nate's shirt from the top. He cut down and straight through the bandages. The nurses lifted Nate up as the doctor took the bandages and shirt off of him. He started bleeding slightly onto the bed; luckily the wound had mostly clotted up.

"Give me a suture kit please." He said. One of the nurses handed it to him. He stitched the small hole shut quickly. He then flipped Nate over with the help of the nurses and stitched the back one closed to stop any further bleeding.

"Bullet went right through, didn't hit any vital organs… lucky man." The doctor said as he conducted his work. "He'll be fine Mrs. Drake."

"Th-thank you." Elena said. "Excuse me, but this doesn't seem very… much like a hospital."

"We're a private institution." He said, grinning. "We cut right through the bullshit."

Elena couldn't help but smile at the older man's demeanor.

"You remind me of someone." She said. "Same age as you, bit perverted, bit annoying, but he's a good man... great sense of humor."

"Makes me glad to be compared to him then!" The doctor said with enthusiasm.

Elena's smile brightened.

"Sully…" Nate muttered in his sleep.

"Ha, that's the guy I'm talking about." Elena said.

"Hm… interesting… The subconscious mind does respond to outside stimuli… Should make a note of that…" Doctor said.

"Thanks doctor." Elena said, sighing.

"You put too much pressure on yourself dear. My name's Andy by the way." He said.

"It was a sigh of relief. I've been… a little stressed lately." Elena said. She looked around and found that the nurses were gone. "Wow, stealthy nurses."

"They're good at that. I need to find out how they do it…"

Suddenly, Chloe burst into the room.

"Is Nate alright?" She nearly screamed. Charlie suddenly ran into her and they went tumbling to the floor.

"Ouch, Charlie that hurt!" Chloe complained.

"Sorry love." Charlie said.

"No harm done." She said, standing up.

Doctor Andy Anderson adjusted his glasses.

"Why, hello." He said.

"Sorry doc." Chloe said. Charlie took a place by the door.

"Your friend is going to be fine by the way. I've patched him up; all he needs is some rest. I'm going to put him under until Mr. Parker arrives." He said. A nurse suddenly walked in and handed him an IV bag.

"Thank you." He said.

"One more question… Andy." Elena piped in as he hung up the IV bag on the second rack and hooked it up to his second injection site.

"What would that be dear?" He said.

"Why do you all sound American? This is Ethiopia…" She asked.

"Why, we moved here a few years ago. Mr. Parker took over just recently took over the place in fact... we used to be run by a company called Paradigm Industries." Andy said. "I believe they just handed him the business. I'm not sure why, he seems very closely tied to them. But… they don't tell me anything… corporate secrets…"

He took his glasses off and began cleaning them with his lab coat, then put them back on.

"I'm satisfied though. I get paid a lot, my research here gets funded, and I have to take care of the odd patient no questions asked. It's not a big deal." He said. "I do get a bit curious now and then, but I enjoy life here. Bullet wounds a little bit too common… but I suppose it's some sort of government operation. At least I hope so… But, Mr. Parker has kept up my funding, and my paycheck."

"That's very interesting. I'm very curious to meet Mr. Parker." Elena said.

"He's supposedly on his way now. Interesting, I've never met him myself. Should be a… invigorating meeting. In the meantime, you should all get some rest. I have rooms if you're interested…"

"No, I'm staying here with Nate." Elena said.

"Me to." Chloe and Charlie said.

"No problem then. If you get tired of these cheap hospital chairs, just ask one of the nurses."

"Thanks Andy."

"No problem Mrs. Drake."

"Elena."

"Elena then. Good night."

"You to."

Andy took his leave. Elena and Chloe stayed in the seats while Charlie leaned against the wall near the door.

"Are you okay love?" Chloe asked, putting her arm over Elena's shoulder.

"Yea… I'm okay. Despite all this, I'm okay…" She said, looking over to Nate's bed.

* * *

><p><strong>6 Hours Later…<strong>

* * *

><p>The sun was coming up. Elena and Chloe snored as their heads rested against each other. Charlie was sleeping with his head leaning against the wall near the door.<p>

"Elena?" Nate suddenly said.

Elena woke with a start.

"Nate, are you awake?" She whispered, trying not to wake Chloe up.

"Yea, but my stomach hurts!" Nate said, he fiddled with the controller next to his hospital bed and made it rise so that he was sitting up.

"Well, you just got shot Nate! What the hell do you think?" Elena asked.

Nate grinned.

"Geez… just got shot and you still go at me." Nate said.

She stood up and went and hugged Nate.

"Hey, hey, I'm okay." He said, hugging her back with a pained look on his face.

"I'm sorry." She said, sobbing quietly into his shirt. "I'm so sorry."

"Hey, you don't have anything to apologize for." Nate said.

She let him go, and grasped his shoulder.

"Yes I do, I should've come with you. I should've been there!" She said.

"What, so you could take the bullet for me?" Nate said. "You didn't do anything wrong. You wouldn't have been able to do anything."

"But…"

"Hey, no buts! I'm alive, and hey, when George Parker gets here we'll be rich." Nate said grinning. "But, then again, I don't need money. I have you don't I?"

Elena blushed.

"You can be so romantic when you want to be…" Elena said.

"Eh, I know you girls get off on this stuff." Nate said.

She punched him gently on the shoulder.

"Ouch!" He said, clearly exaggerating. "That hurt soooooo much."

"Just shut up and kiss me." She said, and they kissed each other.

Suddenly, Charlie burst up from the floor.

"Where's the fire!" He said.

"Way to ruin the moment Charlie…" Elena said.

"Hey big guy, what's up?" Nate said.

"Nate, you're awake!" Charlie said.

"Worried?" Nate asked jokingly.

"No!" Charlie said.

"Yes you were Charlie, now admit it!"

"Fine… but never again. Nope…"

Suddenly, he walked up and gave Nate a hug.

"Yea, I'm okay…" He said, patting Charlie on the back.

"That… never… happened." Charlie said.

"What?" Elena asked, grinning.

"What never happened?" Chloe asked, yawning as she woke up.

"Nothing love." Charlie replied, his cheeks red.

"Hey Chloe." Nate said.

"Ah, Nate. Finally awake I see. Always knew you were lazy, but that was ridiculous." Chloe said grinning.

"Having fun I see." Said the voice of an old man from the door.

Their heads all immediately swerved towards the door. Charlie scooted sideways out of Nate's view.

"George Parker?" Nate asked. "But, no. You sound American."

"Correct, because I am. That was an act." George said. He walked up to Nate.

Elena took a long look at him. She suddenly noticed familiar features on his face. She wondered why they were familiar, and she scrutinized them further.

"It's good to see you're okay son, I was worried." He said.

"But why? I don't know you." Nate asked.

"Correct, but I know you." He said, looking at Nate's eyes then speaking dreamily. "You always did have your mother's eyes…"

"What, you knew my mother? Just who the hell are you?" Nate asked.

But Elena thought she knew, finding that the features she recognized we're similar to those of the man she loved, the one that sat in wonder right next to her.

"You're right, I think it's time to come out with the truth… isn't it?" He said. "First, my name isn't George Parker. It's Harold Drake. Nate, I'm your father."

* * *

><p><strong>BOOM! The bomb has been dropped. Bet NONE of you were expecting THAT! Be ready, the next chapter is a flashback sequence that doesn't actually center on Nate. This story is about to get serious, and this next chapter is going to be pretty heavy so be ready. <strong>


	6. Chapter 6: Flashback

**Hey guys! First to start off I would like to announce I am producing an audiobook version of this story. Here's the link to the first chapter, which took about 6 hours total to produce, I hope you like it, (remove the spaces) : / / yourlisten channel/content/121596/Uncharted%20Seekers%20of%20the%20Lost1**

**Sorry for the audio quality there, the real file sounds better. The site obviously degraded the audio during upload or something.**

**Remember to give me some feedback on that! Sorry for any mess-ups I made there. The original was much worse, this is the final version, but it's still not perfect.**

**Anyways, Yea, here comes that flashback sequence I was talking about. Originally, was all going to be flashback, but I changed my mind. I want to show you Nate's reaction first.**

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><p><strong>Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost<strong>

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 26th, 2012 FD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: Flashback<strong>

"_The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof." __**-**__**Richard Bach**_

* * *

><p>The hospital room took on an eerie silence for a moment. The first thing Elena registered from Nate was surprise, but, after that, anger.<p>

"Who… do you think you are?" Nate asked with anger obvious in his tone.

"I thought I just said that." Harold replied.

"What, did you think you could just walk in here and say something like that, and I'd believe you?" Nate asked. Chloe and Charlie had backed away; their hands were floating near their guns. Elena could feel it to; this had just gotten incredibly tense.

"No, I didn't think so." He responded. "That's why I have proof."

"Yea? What would that be?" Nate asked.

Harold reached into his pocket, and he pulled out an envelope. It was one of the larger ones that held hospital records. He handed it to Nate.

"Open that, you'll find your proof." He said.

Nate was trembling as he opened the manila envelope and pulled out the papers inside. They were hospital records, saying his name and gender and all that other official information. He thumbed through it.

"You could have forged these." Nate said.

"Look at the back paper son." Harold said.

He pulled out the paper in the back and placed it on the top of the other papers. It was his birth certificate.

Harold Drake was listed as the father, and Iria Drake as the mother, of Nathan Drake.

"Th-this could be forged to. Besides… I have a birth certificate to… my father's name isn't Harold, its Jake. Never knew my mother's name, the birth certificate was damaged." He said, tears starting to come into his eyes. Elena came to his side, and put her arm around him.

"That was the one that was forged Nathan, I gave it to them as a fake so you could never find me." Harold said. "There… is one last thing that I have."

"What?" Nate asked.

Harold dug through his coat, and he pulled out his wallet. He opened it, and he pulled out a photo. He handed it to Nate.

He looked at it, and he knew that what Harold was saying was the truth. It was a picture of Harold, quite a bit younger; putting his arm over the shoulder of a woman Nate guessed was his mother, Iria. But, the most striking to him, was the picture of himself, standing in the middle of the two. Of course, Nate couldn't know that the small child standing there was himself.

The child was no more than three years old. How could Nate know? But he knew… he knew it in his heart to be true. This made him furious. He threw the picture onto his bedside table.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Nate yelled, attempting to get up.

"Nate! What are you doing?" Elena asked, keeping him sitting down.

"How dare you?" Nate asked again. "How dare you come back? After all this time? You abandoned me when I was five, I accepted that… yet you think you can just waltz in here and say you're my father? Think that I would accept you? Well you were wrong! You were dead wrong."

"Son…" Harold said, taken aback.

"Don't you _dare_ call me that! You abandoned me and became a DRUNK! I accepted that a long time ago." Nate said with venom.

"Nate! There's something you don't know about what happened! I didn't let you go willingly; there was something else at play!" He said.

"Oh, and what would be so bad that you would abandon me to life in foster care? What's so bad that after my mother died, you became a drunk and put me into that life?" He asked.

"I was never a drunk! It was a lie Nate; it was a lie to protect you!" Harold said.

"Protect me from what?" Nate asked.

"Let me tell you, I swear to god, by the time I'm done, you will understand why I did what I did." Harold said.

"Nate, let him talk." Elena said.

Nate was silent for a minute.

"Fine," He said. "you can talk. You can tell me your story. But I swear to god, if I think you're lying to me…"

"I would never do that." Harold said.

"Then speak."

Harold nodded, and began to tell the story.

* * *

><p><strong>34 Years Earlier, in the year 1978<strong>

* * *

><p>Harold walked briskly along the sidewalk back towards his house. He turned into and looked at the door. Suddenly, he heard a gun-shot.<p>

"What?" He said. He heard the sound of breaking glass. "Iria!"

Harold sprinted along the sidewalk and into the house. He encountered a man in a black mask, and the man pointed his gun at him. Harold raised his hands.

"What do you want?" Harold asked.

"Ha, we want whatever we please." He said in a British accent.

"We?" Harold asked. Another gunshot, a scream.

"Iria!" He shouted.

"Sit still woman!" Another voice with a British accent said.

"Leave her alone!" Harold shouted.

"No, the boss wants to have some fun before we take everything you own. He can do what he likes." The man said, he whipped him with his pistol sending Harold sprawling.

"Harold!" Came a woman's scream. "G-get Nate!"

"You leave her alone!" Harold yelled as tears began to come from his eyes.

"Oh, and what are you going to do about it?" The man said. Harold looked at the man and glared.

"This." He said quietly and simply. He swung his legs and tripped the man. Before he could scream, he swung his hand about and clapped it down on his mouth as he slammed into the floor. The gun went flying towards the ceiling.

The man tried to resist, but Harold pushed with all his might on the right side of the man's head and snapped his neck. He then caught the gun as it fell from the air. There was more screaming from the room.

"Daddy?" Harold suddenly heard from his left. He swung around to see his son standing there.

"What… what is wrong with that man? Why is mommy screaming?" The small five year old boy asked.

"Nate!" Harold said. He quickly ran to Nate and grabbed his shoulder. He pulled him into their living room. There was no one around, and only Nate's room linked to the living room.

"Daddy…?" Nate started to say. But his father quickly quieted him.

"Stay quiet Nate. Is there anyone in your room?" Harold asked.

"Yea, the man told me to come and watch." He responded.

"Stay here."

Nate nodded as Harold walked slowly towards his son's bedroom. He saw the shadow of a man standing right to the left of the door inside. It started moving.

"Okay kid, come on…" He started to say. He started to step out of the room then saw Harold. "Who…?"

Harold slammed the gun into the side of the man's face, sending him stumbling back. The man quickly swung back around pulling his gun up, but Harold knocked it out of his hand and put his gun in the man's face.

"Shush." Harold whispered. The man's eyes were wide behind his own mask. "Turn around."

The man obeyed. Harold lifted the gun and wrapped his arms around the man's neck, he twisted hard, and his neck snapped. Harold carried the dead man to and stashed him inside Nate's closet, and pulled it shut. He then stepped back out into the living room and pulled Nate inside of his room.

He crouched down in front of his son.

"Nate, stay here, be quiet, close the door, and keep it locked until I come back. Alright?" Harold said.

"But…" Nate said.

"No buts. Do what I said." Harold said and glanced over at the closet door. "…and don't look in the closet."

"Okay Dad." Nate said. Harold stepped out of the room and only glanced back as Nate shut and locked the door. There was more screaming, and another gunshot.

"Why will you not stay still?" A man yelled.

"Harold!" His wife yelled. There was no answer.

"It looks like one of my associates has taken care of your husband." He said plainly. "Now cooperate before I have them kill your son!"

"No! Harold!" She screamed. Harold quickly headed towards their master bedroom. He peeked around it to see four men harassing his wife, trying to get her clothes off, but she wasn't cooperating. Her clothes were torn in several luckily non-provocative places.

Harold quickly checked the gun; it was in working order and loaded. He stepped out into the doorway pointing the gun at the guy holding his wife… who also happened to be the biggest one.

"Leave her alone!" Harold yelled. The man let her go and pushed her onto the bed and laughed.

"Oh, and just what are you hoping to do about it mate?" The man asked. Harold went to pull the trigger, but the man swatted the gun and it discharged into the ceiling. He dropped the gun and punched the man as hard as he could in the chest.

He didn't even flinch, he grabbed Harold's arm and whipped him towards the other men in the room. They pushed him onto the floor. His face slammed hard into the rug that covered it. He grunted in pain.

"Nice try, but the boss is too fast and too strong for you." Said one of them, standing over him and bending down to look.

"Ahhh!" Harold yelled as he flipped over, jumped up, and grabbed the man around the neck in a bear hug. He then pulled with all his might and flipped him over while snapping his neck simultaneously. The man slammed into the ground and Harold grabbed a pistol from his pocket.

Then Harold rolled over the man he had just bought down and popped another one in the head with the gun. He also popped the light bulb to make it harder for them to see him. The last of the normal sized ones rushed towards Harold, but he tripped him up and he fell over Harold as the bigger one took a shotgun from over his back and fired.

The man that Harold had tripped was torn to shreds as Harold rolled towards the big one to avoid any pieces of the buckshot that went straight through. Blood still got all over him though. There was the sound of a pump action at work as the big one pumped his shotgun and took aim at him.

"Shit." Harold said jumping to his feet. He dived to the right as there was another shot from the gun. Then he jumped up and rushed the big one before he could pump the shotgun again. He grabbed the barrel and tried to push it away, but instead the barrel went flying into his face as the big one used it as a club.

Harold went sprawling but had enough endurance to try to get up again. The big man stowed his shotgun over his back again and kicked Harold in the side of his face, sending him back to the floor.

"Harold!" His wife Iria yelled. "Watch out!"

He rolled under the big man's feet as one came crashing towards him to stomp him. It smashed the floor and broke the wood under the rug. Harold jumped back to his feet and grabbed the shotgun, tugging it as hard as he could until the straps holding it to the big man's back tore.

He tried to flip around to stop Harold but he was too fast, jumping back to avoid the punch holding the shotgun. He pumped the shotgun, and without aiming, fired.

The buckshot caught him dead center. The pellets pierced his chest in places all over his torso and blood went flying. But still, he did not go down. He limped toward Harold, groaning in pain. He pumped the shotgun again, and then fired again. The man finally fell dead.

Harold was breathing heavily, as he lowered the shotgun. He looked over to Iria.

"Are you okay…?" He asked in the darkness.

"I'm fine… Harold look out!" Iria suddenly screamed, pointing towards the door. Harold pumped the shotgun and raised it as he flipped towards the door. But before he even caught a glimpse of it, oblivion. The whole world went black, but he didn't even feel an impact.

Harold suddenly woke with a start as sunlight came in through the window and fell across his eyes. That confused him as it was night as far as he remembered. His nostrils caught the scent of the dead. His eyes flew open and he put his hands under him. He pushed himself up onto his knees and looked around.

He could feel that his face was not wet, nor covered with dried blood. Neither were his clothes. Which was strange, he remembered being coated in blood.

He oddly didn't spot any of the bodies of the men he had killed the night before. But then his eyes fell over the bed, and found his wife still there, lying still.

"Iria, are you alright?" Harold asked. He wondered if she had got whatever he had and was sleeping. Suddenly, he felt a stabbing pain in his neck as he moved it around. He grabbed about, and found a dart. He pulled it free and looked at it.

It was a tranquilizer dart, and by its size, he guessed it had contained enough to knock out a rather large animal. It had been enough to at least knock him out rather quickly. He stood up slowly and looked towards the bed again, wondering where the death smell was coming from if the other bodies had been removed.

Then, he saw a gun in Iria's hand. Blood covered the sheets under her head. His eyes opened wide.

"Iria!" He cried in panic. He rushed over to her, and then he saw it… a hole through the right side of her head, and an exit hole on the other. She was also in a position that heavily indicated that she had done it herself.

Tears began pouring from his eyes as he stared at his wives cold dead face. He bought his hand to the left side of her head.

"Iria… no… please…" He whispered. He slowly bought his face towards hers, tears dropping across her cheeks and sliding down them.

"Daddy…?" Came a kid's voice from nearby. Harold looked over and saw Nate standing in the doorway.

"No!" Harold cried. He rushed over and grabbed Nate, taking him out of the room. "Don't look Nate…"

"But why Daddy?" Nate asked. "Why are you crying? Where's mommy?"

"Nate… she's gone… I'm sorry… I couldn't save her…" Harold whispered. Tears were still pouring from his eyes as he hugged his son close to him.

Nate started to cry.

"What do you mean?" He sobbed.

"Son, I need you to do something." Harold said. He wiped his sleeve across his eyes. "I want you to walk down the road to Lucy's house. Tell them that there has been an emergency, and I need them to keep you there until I come."

"Okay Dad… will mom be coming?" He asked.

"No Nate… she's gone…" Harold said. "I'll explain it to you later. Now go."

"But Dad…!" Nate started to say.

"Please Nate, go!" Harold said. Nate nodded crying and ran for the front door. Harold turned around and went back into the room. He stood next to the bed and looked down at his wife's dead body.

Several minutes passed with him just standing there looking down. He didn't hear it as the front door seemed to be whipped open with flourish in the front, nor as a grown woman called his name. He didn't even hear footsteps rushing towards the room, or hear when the woman again called his name as she stepped into the room holding out an M1911A1 pistol with a sound suppressor attached.

The woman had black hair and brown eyes and as her eyes met with Harold, she lowered it.

"Harold I was looking…" She trailed off as she saw the body lying on the bed. "Oh my god."

A tear fell from her eyes as she saw who it was.

"Harold…" She repeated. She approached the bed and fell on her knees next to the bed. "…Oh no…"

"Lucy…" Harold said. "…she's gone. It's my fault."

Lucy stood up and pulled him into a hug… he didn't reciprocate; instead his eyes just kept staring at the wall.

"How is it your fault? But why…? Why would she commit suicide like this?" Lucy asked. This bought about renewed tears from Harold.

"It wasn't suicide Lucy, she was murdered…" Harold said.

"What…?" Lucy asked putting him at arm's length.

"She was murdered Lucy." He said. "Men came here last night, I tried to fight them off to save her, but something knocked me out when I thought I had killed them all. But when I woke up, she was dead, and the bodies were gone."

"Do you think they could've come here because they knew what we used to do?" She asked.

"No, the government should've covered that up!" Harold said. He was suddenly riled with guilt at the possibility that all that had happened here was his fault. "No… no…"

"Calm down! I'm certain it's not because of that!" She said. "I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"Where's Nate?" He responded.

"He's at my house, don't worry, my husband is taking care of him." She said.

"I don't think it could've been anything else…" Harold said. "I was able to take them out, but I could tell they were lying about being here to … rape… Iria and rob us. They were also very well trained, even if I was far more so. It was in their stance and bearing."

Lucy looked down at the bed again, and then spotted an envelope lying beside Iria. She let go of Harold and grabbed it in one of her gloved hands.

"What's this?" She said. Harold grabbed it from her desperately and opened it up.

"Harold! You're going to destroy evidence!" Lucy cried.

"Don't worry about it…" Harold said. He opened it; it wasn't sealed, and took out a paper from the inside. A red cross inside of a white circle with a black outline caught his eye. "That's… the symbol of the Knights Templar…!"

"Heh, it can't really be them." Lucy said skeptically. Harold unfolded the paper and began reading out loud from the top, which was typed in Times New Roman.

"Hello Mr. Drake, I hope you've enjoyed our little present. Your wife is dead, but as you noticed, we left your son alive.

"I'm sure you also noticed that the bodies of the men you killed are missing. That's because we removed them, and eliminated all evidence. I'm sure you have a UV light to check for blood, I'm afraid you'll only find it near your wife. All other physical and chemical evidence to indicate anyone but you, your child, your wife, and anyone else you've ever let into your house willingly has been eliminated.

"I do not recommend telling the cops all this, mostly because you know they haven't started using all of the forensics you used in your work yet, anyways… I am sure they will tell you that you are crazy. Likewise, this envelope doesn't have anyone's fingerprints on it currently but yours. Said fingerprints will also present themselves as the first placed. Thus, even if you showed it to the police, they will believe you have written it. The same thing goes for the tranquilizer dart; they will think you used it on yourself, even if that does seem a bit farfetched.

"But of course, you will have to call the cops to get the body removed. We do not say you should not do this.

"You're probably wondering what hold we have over you to say what you should and shouldn't do. It is because if you don't obey, we will find your son, and we will kill him. So, you are going to do the following. If you do not follow instructions, we will kill him.

"It does not matter where you put him or try to hide him, we have the resources to find him anywhere, and we are watching.

"Now, first, you will put your son in the nearest orphanage… after making it appear you have become a rampant drunk with your wife's death. You will make it appear to all outside sources that you have abandoned him. After that, you will come work for us. For we need someone with your… talents… in our organization.

"We need your historical ones to. Your PhD in Archaeology is very impressive for someone in your field.

"After you have followed your current instructions, we will contact you again. Feel free to bring those friends of yours that live down the street; they seem pretty skilled to according to their records. Although you will have to leave out her husband, his background in the SAS and the CIA makes him look… risky.

"Sincerely, Grandmaster of the Templar Order"

He finished and read it over again in disbelief.

"It… was my fault…" Harold said.

"That's not something we can worry about right now Harold!" Lucy said. "I believe them, if they have the resources to do what they did last night, to know that I, you, and my husband all used to work for the CIA. If they have the resources to know you have a PhD in Archaeology for Christ's sake, they can kill Nate no matter where he is."

Harold shook off his shock.

"Then we have to do what they want… don't we?" Harold asked.

"We don't have a choice." Lucy responded. "I love Nate just as much as you do. I can't have children, so it's even more important to me. I love him like I would love my own, and so does Tom, so we will stand with you."

"Thank you Lucy… we better get started."

* * *

><p><strong>Several weeks later…<strong>

* * *

><p>"But Daddy…!" Nate said crying.<p>

"No buts Nate." Harold said. "I… can't take care of you anymore. You need to go in there; they'll take care of you."

"Daddy!" He cried.

"NATE!" Harold yelled crying himself. "GO INSIDE NOW!"

Nate kept crying and ran toward the building. As he did, lightning arced across the sky and rain started falling around them. Harold didn't bother pulling his umbrella out. He merely turned away, and started walking before someone came out to find him.

His tears mingled with the storm as he climbed into his car.

"I'm sorry…" He said to no one in particular. "I am so sorry…"

He quickly started the car with trembling hands and drove away.


	7. Chapter 7: Ancient History

**Time for some more historical stuff! Also, a revelation that everything Uncharted up to this point has been a lie! There's also some good lovey-dovey stuff between Elena and Nate if you're into that. Father and son stuff between Harold and Nate as well. Well balanced chapter here! :D**

* * *

><p>Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost<p>

By Obrusnine

Last updated: April 9th, 2012 ED

(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)

Chapter 7: Ancient History

_Don't be afraid in nature: one must be bold, at the risk of having been deceived and making mistakes._ Camille Pissarro

* * *

><p><strong>Back in the Present…<strong>

* * *

><p>"So wait…" Nate said as he paused the story. "You… you're a Templar? The man who shot me back at the Church said he was the Grandmaster of the Templars!"<p>

This time Chloe and Charlie really did pull their guns and pointed them at Harold.

"Hands where I can see em mate." Charlie said.

"Wait, you're misunderstanding me. I wasn't finished!" Harold said.

"Well, you better have a pretty damn good explanation!" Chloe said.

"I'm not a Templar anymore!"

"How do we know we can believe that?" Nate asked aggressively.

"Nathan, other than saying I was someone I wasn't, have I lied to you?" Harold asked.

"No." Nate said. "But how does that mean I can trust you?"

"If I was still a Templar, you would already be dead Nathan." Harold said.

"Nate, let him speak." Elena said. She waved for Charlie and Chloe to lower their guns. They slowly did so after looking at each other and nodding. They put the guns back in their holsters… but they didn't snap the holsters shut.

"So… what? Is there something else I don't know?" Nate asked.

"Yes." Harold responded.

"What would that be? Hell, while you're at it, why would the Templars want me dead?"

"Because you've caused them to much trouble." Harold responded as he looked at his hands.

"Caused them trouble?" Elena suddenly cut in. "What's that supposed to mean? I've been with Nate for years, and I don't remember running into any Templars."

"Oh, but that's only because they never told you that. Not like you gave them much of a chance…" Harold said.

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Charlie asked.

"You only met one of them yourself my friend." Harold said.

"What?" Charlie asked. "I don't remember stumbling cross no Templars."

"Like I said, you weren't aware at the time."

"Well spit it out already, we can't sit here all day." Chloe said.

"Fine, it started about six years ago." Harold said. "But before I tell you about that, there is something else you need to understand. The Templars, they're about more than just religion."

"Like?" Nate asked.

"The Templars want power, control, and the ability to take their beliefs and spread them." Harold said. "Exhibit one, El Dorado."

"El Dorado?" Nate said. "What about it?"

"You all found it six years ago." Harold said.

"Yea, but what does that have to do with the Templars?"

"Power, Nate. The Templar's are about Power." Harold said.

"Whatever that thing was… turned people insane… Could be put to deadly use in the wrong hands…" Nate said. "So… what about that? I don't remember any Templar's from back then."

"Atoq Navarro was a Templar Nate." Harold said.

"That's why he betrayed Gabriel! He was using him to get that thing for the Templars!" Nate suddenly said.

"Exhibit two, the Cintamani Stone."

"Power through Immortality…" Nate whispered.

"Zoran Lazaravic didn't fund that private army of his by himself; he was backed by the Templars. They paid him to find it."

"It's all starting to make sense."

"That's not the tip of the iceberg just yet. I finally have exhibit three. The adventure you just embarked upon, Iram of the Pillars, the Atlantis of the Sands." Harold said. "Katherine Marlowe wasn't part of the order of the golden sun like you thought she was, she was also a Templar."

"I stopped all of them for doing what they went to do." Nate said. "So now they want to kill me…"

"Exactly." Harold said. "Luckily, once you started to become problematic with them, I had gained substantial rank within the organization as well as extremely substantial wealth. I was allowed to retire from the Order."

"What if you hadn't? Would you have come to kill me to?" Nate asked.

"No, of course not. I would've found some way to leave anyways, to warn you." Harold said. "Anyways, if Jason was there…"

"You two are on first name terms?" Nate asked.

"Yes. I knew that cold and heartless man quite well, too well for my own good." Harold said. "But that's beside the point; if Jason was there like you said he was, he must think the Ark there is the real thing. Do you mind filling me in on exactly what happened during your little escapade?"

Nate told him the story.

"Hm, so it wasn't the gilded one… but the original." Harold said. "Interesting, you said the tablets were in there… but if it was indeed the original, then they wouldn't be in there would they? I find that very curious. Do you have the little camera I gave you to take the photos?"

"Yea, but you're not getting it until I get our money." Nate said.

"Ah, still focused on that are you?" He replied. "Maybe you should check underneath your bed."

Elena bent down and lifted Nate's sheet. She reached in and pulled out a dark wooden suitcase. She put it on Nate's lap and opened it. Inside were a whole lot of green dollar bills.

"Nate… there are five more of these below the bed." Elena said.

"I trust you do not want to count it…?" Harold asked.

"No, that would take quite a long time." Nate said. "I'm not sure why, but I believe you."

"Good, we're making progress." Harold said with a smile. Nate reached down and retrieved the camera from his pants pocket. He then tossed it to Harold.

"Thank you." Harold said. He reached behind Nate's hospital bed and retrieved a briefcase. He opened it up to reveal a small laptop, which he took out and put on his lap. He pressed a power button on the laptop and the screen turned on. Elena, Chloe, and Charlie came around to watch as Harold twisted a piece of the camera to reveal that it doubled as a USB dongle.

He inserted it into one of the computers USB ports, opened the picture files on it, and scrutinized the pictures.

"You were right; this does appear to be the original constructed by Moses." Harold said. "It appears to be constructed from age-accurate wood and to be appropriately degraded. It's equally like that all over."

He scrolled a few pictures.

"Ah, there it is." He said as he found a picture of the bottom right corner of the chest.

"I don't see anything." Elena said.

"Look closer." Harold said. He pointed to a spot and Elena saw it, it was a small circle with the cross inside of it.

"What the hell is that?" Charlie said.

"Guys, you mind letting me see?" Nate asked.

Harold shifted so everyone could see.

"Wait, isn't that…?" Nate began to wonder.

"…the Templar logo? Yes, it is." Harold said. "You see, this is how I would know a real one from a fake."

"But how?" Nate asked. "Why is that even there?"

"Back when the chest was first constructed, the Templars of course were almost a Millennium from coming into existence. But their beliefs were very much alive back then." Harold said. "So, knowing that someone would need a way to recognize which was the real one later, they made engravings of a cross inside of a circle to identify the real one. This was done of several historical artifacts, not just the Ark."

"Well, it seems to have indeed proven useful." Nate said.

"Indeed it has." Harold said with a chuckle. He resumed scrolling through the pictures.

"But even knowing what it is, why did you want us to go and get this in the first place?" Nate wondered.

"Because, before I left I began hearing things about how they've discovered something with great power… power greater than anything they have yet discovered." Harold said. "That includes every mythological artifact you've ever encountered. But, with these mentions came mentions that the Ark was the secret… the clue… that would lead them to it."

Harold stopped shifting pictures again on Nate's most direct picture on one of them.

"Wait a moment, there's something wrong with these tablets." Harold said.

"What do you mean?" Nate asked.

"Look, Moses constructed the tablets from stone in the bible story… but this is obviously marble." Harold said. Nate looked closely and indeed noticed the striations that identified it as marble. "Not only that, the amount of decay from the day they were built to today isn't right. These look like they've only existed for maybe a few hundred years, they should date back more than fifteen-hundred."

"So, what is _that _supposed to mean."

"That these aren't the real ones. Wait a moment, these tablets aren't in Hebrew they're in… English!" Harold said. They all looked at the characters from multiple angles.

"I'm not seeing it mate." Charlie said.

"Look, the characters are morphed a bit to make it look like Hebrew as much as possible, and the letters are backwards, but that's definitely English! Besides, I know Hebrew and the characters are not structured like this!" Harold said. They all looked at it again.

"Wait a second, I see it now!" Nate said in awe.

"I'm still not seeing it mate." Charlie said skeptically.

"Can I do the honors?" Nate asked ignoring Charlie. Harold grinned.

"Of course Nathan." He said handing him the computer. Nate took a moment, and then began to read out loud.

"To those who find this tablet and correctly identify this backwards language, you have found a clue towards a much greater artifact. King Arthur completed his quest and he found the Holy Grail. But he realized its power to control, influence, and change people was too great for any mortal man to carry. Atop Scafell Pike, and under the ground is where it lies for those who wish to find it.

"But be warned, any who wish to find the Holy Grail must pass five great challenges to prove their worth. Any who fail will never return to the surface.

"If one is truly worthy to hold the Holy Grail, they will not use it, but instead find somewhere new and safer to hide it, where no one, including themselves, will ever gain access to it."

"Bollocks… the Holy Grail?" Charlie said.

"Even I wasn't expecting that one." Harold said.

"What does "Atop Scafell Pike, and under the ground is where it lies" mean?" Chloe asked.

"Well, let's think." Nate said. "The tablets in English, most English people live in Great Britain. So it must be somewhere around there. Come on… Scafell Pike I know I've heard it before."

"It's a mountain!" Elena exclaimed. "I went there once a long time ago! It's the highest mountain in the UK!"

"Nice catch Elena!" Nate said. "So, the Holy Grail is somewhere underneath the summit of Scafell Peak."

"I have to say I don't like the five great challenges part much love." Chloe said.

"Yes, it seems to indicate that most wouldn't come up alive." Nate said. "But we aren't most now are we."

"Everyone get out." Elena suddenly said. Everyone looked at her quizzically. Even though she had just answered a question, after Nate had said what he had just said, she had gone red faced angry. She also appeared to be very sad. Everyone stood up and left to give them some privacy, closing the door behind them.

There was a slight scuffling by the door for a few moments afterwards.

"Charlie, stop! We're letting them have their privacy for Christ's sake!" Chloe hissed. Then the noise disappeared.

"What is it Elena? Are you okay?" Nate said putting his hand on the side of her face. She slapped it away, she was looking very angry and betrayed.

"You're doing it again Nate. We have the money, but just like always you want to keep going. This was supposed to be it, we're set, but you just want to keep going. You want to keep discovering things." She said. "You love being a treasure hunter so much you're even willing to break a promise we made. Again, Nate… again!"

"But Elena… it's the Holy Grail for Christ's sake! Did you hear what that inscription said? If the Templars discover it, the whole world is at…!" Nate started.

"I don't care if the whole world is at stake Nate!" Elena screamed. "What about for once, I would rather be responsible only for ourselves, and not have to save the world because it can't protect itself worth a damn! Huh! What about that!"

"Elena…" Nate started to say.

"Don't Elena me Nate." Elena said.

"Why not, that's your name isn't it? You're my wife, I love you!" Nate said. This seemed to disarm her for a moment. He took the chance to pull her into a hug. She was crying.

"Why Nate? Why is it our responsibility?" She asked in sobs. He stroked her hair and hugged her close.

"Because no one else can." Nate said. "But we aren't doomed to continue this. The Templars won't finish what they started here, I won't let them, and after that, we're done. If I get a letter asking me to take a damn job or save the goddamn world, I'll tell them to find someone else to do it. I'm not a Treasure Hunter anymore. But… I need to do this one last thing, to be able to let go."

"Fine, but Nate…" Elena said.

"Yea Elena?" Nate asked.

"We're doing it together. No leaving me behind, no splitting up, no nothing." Elena said. "We're in this together."

He grasped Elena's hand.

"To the end." He said. Elena wiped her face on her sleeve and stood up, but not before giving Nate a loving kiss on the lips. "Thank you Nate. Thank you for giving up so much for me."

"You're my soul mate; I wouldn't have it any other way." Nate said.

"Oh, you can still be so romantic when you want to be." Elena said. She giggled.

"I try." Nate said smiling. "But, if we're going to be going to find the Holy Grail…"

Nate started pulling off the cords to the heart monitor from his chest. Then moving to his IV's.

"…I need to get out of this hospital bed." He finished.

"But Nate, shouldn't you rest for a little while? You just got shot!" Elena said worried.

"I'll be fine, just… help me walk." He said as he put his legs over the bed. Elena grabbed a bag she had grabbed from the van last night under the chair and threw it to Nate. "Why don't you get dressed first big man?"

"With you here?" Nate asked blushing.

"Are you forgetting I've seen it all before?" Elena asked.

"Is this a seducing tactic?" Nate asked jokingly. "I like it."

"Good to know." Elena said sitting down.

"Don't you need to get dressed to?" Nate asked as he undressed.

"Nice try, I got dressed last night." Elena said. "I took a shower to. Speaking of… you stink, you're taking one before we leave."

"Nice to know that I have some plans tonight." Nate said. "What about joining me?"

This time Elena blushed as she looked over Nate's rather naked body.

"Well, a shower a day…" Elena said.

"Nice to know _we_ have plans for tonight." Nate said as he starting putting on the cloths Elena had given him.

Elena didn't say anything further, instead letting Nate finish what he was doing. When he was finished he went over to her, grabbed her hand, and pulled her to her feet with a pained look on his face. Their faces were again in close proximity. They kissed.

"I love you." Nate said.

"I love you to." She said.

Then, he put his arm over her shoulder and leaned on her to avoid the pains hitting his stomach, they walked towards the door together. They went down the hallway to find the other three sitting around a table with George on his laptop, Chloe sitting and looking bored, and Charlie standing in the corner and looking at nothing in particular.

"Oh!" Chloe exclaimed as she saw them enter, jumping up from her seat. She grinned. "Looks like you two made up."

"…we would never have a fight like that…" Charlie said.

"Charlie… don't even get me started." Chloe said. Charlie straightened up.

"Yes mamn!" Charlie said.

"Nate, shouldn't you be in bed?" Harold asked. Nate sat down in the chair, which Elena sat next to him and they held hands.

"Yes, _dad _but…" Nate trailed off. Harold smiled.

"Thank you Nathan." Harold said. He seemed about to cry. "You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say that again."

"Thirty four years?" Nate asked. Elena punched him on the shoulder.

"Nate!" She exclaimed.

"Sorry…" Nate said.

"Um… Dad…" Nate said. Harold looked at him; he seemed to be really happy to be able to respond to the title.

"What is it son?" He asked.

"Thank you… for… giving up your entire life to protect me. I'm… sorry for how I've been treating you." Nate said. Elena noticed that he had seemed to get a huge load off of his chest. He looked happy.

"Nate, I'm your father, I always forgive you." He said. A few moments passed where everyone sat in silence.

"Okay, now that that's over with…" Charlie began.

"Charlie!" Chloe exclaimed.

"Well someone had to say something! We can't just sit here forever…" He responded. "Anyways, back to the topic at hand… the search for the Holy Grail."

"He's right, we don't have much time." Harold said. "The Templars will have discovered what we have now. But we have the upper hand."

"How's that?"

"Okay, look. The Templars are a multinational organization which has controls on multiple governments. Without anyone realizing it, the Templars have a huge pull on world policy. Half the politicians and corporations on the planet are influenced by the Templars with no one ever knowing. They have highly trained assassins, a private army, and more money than the United States Government…" Harold said.

"Thanks, that's really encouraging." Chloe said lifting an eyebrow.

"Oh, sorry, my point is that it may seem like the odds are stacked against us. But right now, we have the upper hand. They don't know that we know what their after. They don't think they have any competition. That means they'll be calm about it, they'll wait before dispatching people. We can still get their first."

"Dad has a point." Nate said. "If we can get their first and pass whatever these challenges are, we can be out before the competition even shows up."

"There is a slight problem." Harold said.

"What's that?" Charlie asked.

"After that little adventure you had, not only the Ethiopian Police is looking for you, but the Templars. They will be watching every single airport within hundreds of miles waiting for you to show up to leave." Harold said.

"Great, so we can't take a plane." Elena said.

"We can't take the roads either; they'll be watching them for that van. I have a vehicle, but it's too small for all of us, and besides, we'd need a plane to get the Britain. It's an island nation after all. There would probably also be checkpoints along the road, and if they find any of you inside, we're all busted. I have a Private Jet, but I'm not supposed to be in Ethiopia right now. Of course, they know I'm here already, but if I suddenly took off in my private jet the day after what happened at the Church, they'd know something was up."

"So what are we going to do? Stay here and wait them out?" Chloe asked.

"No." Harold said. "After scanning that camera footage, they're going to find Nate. They know he's my son, they'll be sending people to investigate all of my facilities soon, and this isn't one of the ones they don't know about."

"Come on, there has to be _some _way out of this country." Elena said.

"I know!" Nate suddenly exclaimed.

"Let's hear it then." Charlie said.

"Dad, do you happen to have any private airstrips that the Templars don't know about? One that's nearby?" Nate asked.

"Yes, and we wouldn't need to pass through security to get there, but I have no planes there at the moment. Do you want to wait it out there or something?" He asked.

"No, but Sully can come and fly us to Great Britain in that plane of his."

"You mean Victor Sullivan?" Harold asked.

"Yea, he's the one who… em, raised me." Nate said.

"Really? I didn't know much about him beyond the reports I got from the Templar operations you stopped in their tracks. I must thank him, he did a fine job." Harold said. He smiled. "Anyways, I think that this plan is sound. Do you need a way to contact him?"

"Nope, got that cell you gave me for the Church heist, or well, investigation I guess." Nate said.

"No, my daughter-in-law does." Harold said beaming.

"I took it when I needed to come here remember?" Elena said.

"Oh yea, give it to me, I'll call Sully on our emergency line." Nate said. Elena handed him the phone. He flipped it open and dialed a number. He then put it to his ear. It rang only twice.

"Hello? Who is this? How'd you get this number?" Nate suddenly heard Sully say from the other end of the line.

"Hey Sully, it's me Nate." Nate said.

"You guys doing alright over there?" He asked.

"Not really, I got shot."

"What? Are you alright kid?"

"Yea, don't worry about it. There's some good to, I found my father."

"Well, isn't that swell."

"I thought so."

"Good to know."

"He's actually a pretty good guy."

"That's good. But why'd you call me on the emergency line if this was just casual talk?"

"We're in a bit of a pickle, we need you to fly over here to Ethiopia and pick us up. Then take us to Great Britain."

"Why?"

"Well, long story short, we've got a huge multinational political organization filled with religious fanatics after us. They've locked down the airports and the roads and we need some way out of here before they find us."

"You always have the most interesting adventures when I'm not around."

"I don't know, their pretty interesting when you are around to."

"Good point."

"Anyways, can you come pick us up?"

"Yea kid, where am I going to be touching down if they locked down the airports?"

"My father will give you the coordinates to a private airstrip he owns." Nate said. He tossed the phone over to Harold, who caught it and put it to his ear.

"Hello?" Harold said. "Yes, this is Nate's father. My name is Harold Drake. Yup… Yea… Don't worry about it; I'll get him there okay."

He told Sully the coordinates.

"Okay, will be nice to meet you in person when you get here."

Harold threw the phone back to Nate and he caught it and put it to his ear.

"Hello?" He said.

"I'm getting the plane fueled up now kid, I'll be there in a few hours." Sully said.

"Got it, meet you there old timer. Don't stress yourself to much now." Nate said.

"Watch your tone with the elderly son." Sully said.

"I'll make sure to, bye." Nate said.

"Bye." Sully said. He hung up.

"Okay, looks like we're all set. Let's get going." Nate said.

* * *

><p><strong>There we go the conclusion of another infinitely interesting chapter of Uncharted Seekers of the Lost. Hopefully you enjoyed it, and maybe there will be some action in a few chapters. Sorry for this downtime section, I know you guys love my action writing, :)<br>**


	8. Chapter 8: Predator and Prey

**Here we are with Chapter 8 guys! Sully is here! :D**

**Let me also say we're getting closer to the present, ^^**

**Also, I decided to make some more action sooner than I thought I would! Oh, and what good action it is.**

* * *

><p>Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost<p>

By Obrusnine

Last updated: April 11th, 2012 fD

(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)

Chapter 8: Predator and Prey

"_A man on a mission is far different from a drone on a deadline." _Rheta Grimsley

* * *

><p>Nate was gazing out the window as he sat at a small table in a small house just off the airstrip. Charlie and Chloe were discussing something in private in the corner. His father was monitoring the radio for chatter, making sure the Templar's didn't know where they were. Elena was sitting across from him.<p>

"Nate, Earth to Nate." Elena said suddenly.

"Huh? What?" Nate suddenly said, tearing his eyes off of the window to look at her.

"You spaced out, what are you thinking about?" Elena asked.

"The Holy Grail… according to Arthurian legend, it was lifted to heaven along with Galahad, the son of Lancelot, after Perceval found it." Nate said. "If the Holy Grail was lifted to heaven, how is… wait a second!"

Nate sat forward in his chair as a wave of comprehension.

"Lifted to heaven! That's it!" He said. Everyone looked at him like he was insane.

"What do you mean Nate?" Elena asked.

"It said the Grail is on the summit of Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in Great Britain. The sky is the heavens! So, it was actually literally lifted to heaven!" Nate said. "It all makes sense!"

"That was an excellent deduction." Harold said from his spot over at the radio. "Maybe Galahad's tomb is up there as well."

"Who knows?" Nate asked. "It very well could be…"

Suddenly Charlie's eyes flicked to the window behind Nate. The sun had come up a few hours before as they waited for Sully. Nate turned around and saw a red plane in the distant skies.

"I think he's here mates." Charlie said. Suddenly, noise came from the radio.

"This is Treasure Flight, requesting clearance to land." Sully said. Harold pushed a button and then spoke into microphone.

"You have it Treasure Flight, welcome to Ethiopia." Harold said.

"Why thanks for the welcome. What kind of attractions do we have around here?" He asked. Nate came over and spoke into the mic after pressing down a button.

"We have deranged religious psychopaths with guns, a centuries old artifact that said religious psychopaths will do anything to protect, and a group of people who really need a ride to Cumbria, England." Nate said.

"Sounds great kid, hopefully the ride will be less action packed then your stay here has been." Sully responded. "I'm coming in for a landing run now."

"Sounds great, see you when you land." Nate said. Harold turned off the radio.

"We're going to be taking off as soon as he lands and refuels." Harold said. "I called in a favor with some friends; we're going to be touching down in Gosforth. From there we can head right to Scafell Pike. We'll also have the cover of night, so no one else will be ascending."

"It will also take us a few hours to reach the summit, so we'll have the light of morning to search for the passage underground." Nate said. "Good planning Dad."

"They didn't make me a CIA agent for nothing son. Let's get going." Harold said.

"Can I ask just one little question?" Chloe asked.

"You just did love." Charlie said.

"Shut up Charlie." Chloe, Nate, and Elena all said at the same time.

"Fine, was just pointing that out…" Charlie said.

"What is it Chloe?" Nate asked.

"People must have been scaling that mountain for hundreds of years. How are we going to find it if no one has stumbled on it in centuries?" Chloe asked.

"We know more about this then the average person." He responded.

"So what exactly are we looking for?" She asked.

"Some kind of carvings, a cave… something." Nate said. "I'm not sure, but we'll know it when we see it."

"Why exactly are we doing this anyway?" Charlie asked. "We have our money; we should go spend it instead of doing this for no profit."

"Charlie, did you forget the entire world at stake stuff?" Elena asked.

"Oh, come off it mate, what are the chances of that actually being true?"

"High." Everyone but Charlie said.

"Especially with us." Nate said. "I mean, we save the world a lot."

"What…?" Charlie asked.

"Those stories I told you were true you buffoon." Chloe said punching him playfully in the shoulder.

"Ouch… that hurt…" Charlie said. Chloe rolled her eyes.

"So, everyone ready?" Harold asked.

"Not really." Charlie said.

"Now there is something I agree with." Chloe said.

"Me to." Elena said.

"Count me in on that." Sully said as he walked in.

"I don't think any of us has ever been ready. But we don't have a choice." Nate said. He put his hand forward. "Now, hands in."

Elena put her hand in right away. Sully right after her.

"You guys in?" Nate asked. "You can back out if you want to."

"You already know I'm in." Harold said, contributing his hand.

"Sure, sounds fun." Chloe said chipping her hand in.

"Bollocks, what the hell. If she's in, I guess I am to." Charlie said putting his hand in.

"Then we'll do this, we'll live to tell the tale. Not that anyone will believe us." Nate said. "Now, let's do this."

They all separated their hands as Sully led them out the door.

"All of us are going to need to get some sleep in-flight." Harold said as they walked towards the small plane. "There are some sleeping bags in the lockers over there."

He pointed towards a set of lockers besides the small house. Sully's plane was stationed by the gas tank along the side of the runway. Nate was surprised at how the plane looked.

"Sully, you've been working. It looks exactly like the one from all those years ago." He said.

"Yea kid, and after you guys wrecked that last one, you are not taking the wheel." Sully said.

"Oh come on, they were shooting anti-air guns at us!" Nate said.

"Yup." Sully said simply. He opened the pilot's side door and climbed into the chair. "Now why don't you help your wife into the plane?"

"Yea Nate, help me into the plane." Elena said teasingly. She pushed him playfully.

"I'll do that." Nate said. He grabbed her around the waste and lifted her up into the air.

"Nate, what are you doing?" She yelled laughing as he tickled her.

"I'm just helping you into the plane." He said grinning.

"Come on Nate, stop it!" She laughed. "That tickles."

Charlie and Chloe went ahead of them holding hands. Nate put her down.

"Nate, stop playing around and unhook the plane from the gas tank. I'm on full." Sully said.

"You really are getting old!" Nate shouted at him as he hugged Elena around the waste from behind.

"Do you really want me to come over there and whip you with a cane?" Sully shouted back. Nate just shook his head. He kissed Elena and let her go.

"Go get on the plane, be right there." He said. She nodded and climbed into the plane. Nate went and unbuckled the gas line from the plane as his father climbed into the passenger's seat and the rest of them got in the back. As he went back to the plane after finishing, he suddenly saw something move beside a cloud. It was a white speck in the sky.

Nate climbed in the back and walked up behind the two front seats.

"Do you see that…?" Nate asked pointing it out.

"Yea kid, it's probably just a bird." Sully said as he started the plane.

"Never hurts to check." Harold said. Sully shrugged and pulled a scope from off the dash. He put it on his eye and looked through the windshield and into the sky.

"What the hell?" Sully said. "That's no bird, it's some kind of… miniature plane."

"Oh no, give me that." Harold said. Sully handed him the scope. "Oh shit, get this plane off this ground now!"

"Why, what is it?" Sully said as he started prepping the plane for takeoff.

"It's an MQ-1 Predator drone, and it's armed!" Harold said.

"A what?" Nate asked.

"Predator drones are forward reconnaissance craft used by the Air Force and CIA. They weren't in use at my time, but the Templars have access to that kind of technology. They must have had it follow us after you all left the church!" Harold said. "That thing has Hellfire missiles."

"Why hasn't it shot at us yet?" Sully asked breathing heavily as he rushed through the pre-flight checks.

"I don't know… it probably wants to see where we go." Harold said. "That means they're on to me. If we don't take that thing out of the sky, they'll be waiting for us when we get to Britain."

"How are we supposed to take it out? This clunker isn't armed!" Nate said.

"A few shots from a gun should take care of it." Harold said. "But we should really get off the ground! If those are Air-to-Ground missiles it could shoot us whenever it feels like it. I'd rather be off the ground where it can't shoot us."

"I agree." Sully said. He finished the pre-flight checks. "Tell everyone to hold on, this is going to be a bumpy ride. Grab the AK-47 out of the back so you'll be able to shoot that thing out of the sky once we're airborne."

Nate flipped around.

"What's going on Nate?" Elena asked.

"Apparently, there is some kind of military drone watching us. It's also armed with Air-to-Ground missiles. Sully is going to get us off the ground and I'm going to try and shoot it down." Nate said.

"With what mate?" Charlie asked as the plane lurched forward and the noise from the propeller picked up.

"Someone throw me the AK-47 from the back!" Nate yelled over the noise. Chloe went to the back of the plane and started looking through boxes and cases.

"Found it!" Chloe cried out. She pulled an AK from a small arms case and threw it to Nate. He caught it; she then grabbed a pack of ammo from the case and threw it to him. He undid the zip tie around the ammunition and loaded a cartridge into the AK-47, putting the rest in the pouch at his hip. He pulled back the lever to put the bullet into the chamber.

The whole plane lurched as they took off. The movement by the plane was so wild that Nate was almost thrown off his feet. The others quickly put on their seatbelts.

"What the hell Sully?" Nate yelled.

"Sorry kid! Have to get us off the ground remember!" He shouted back.

"Okay, got it!" Nate yelled back. He grabbed a safety line and buckled it to his belt. He then buckled the other end to the webbing on the roof of the plane.

"I'm going to pull us up beside it kid! You're going to have to shoot out the side doors!" Sully yelled.

"Yea, which side?" Nate asked.

"Left side!"

"Got it!" Nate responded. He walked up to the left side door and unlocked it. He pulled it open and covered his eyes as the wind hit his face. He looked down.

"God, I hate heights…" Nate said. He took cover next to the door and crouched down. He then leaned around it and took a firing position. "I'm ready! Get us up beside it!"

There was another lurch as Sully pulled up. A few seconds passed, and then all of a sudden the drone passed into view. Nate aimed his rifle and fired. All of a sudden, there was the sound of something igniting.

"Shit, watch out Sully, its dumb firing its missiles!" Nate yelled. The missile zoomed out of its socket right towards them.

"Hold on!" Sully suddenly yelled. He put them into a roll to avoid the missile. Nate fell backwards and started rolling along the side yelling as Sully rolled the plane. Suddenly he started rolling towards the open door.

"Oh shit!" Nate yelled. As he flew out the door, he flipped over and grabbed the bottom of the opening with one hand.

"Nate!" Elena yelled. She unbuckled herself and tried to rush to Nate. She went to grab his hand, but suddenly his endurance failed and he let go. He went flying into empty space spinning and yelling. A few terrifying seconds passed before his safety line hit the end and he was suddenly tugged with the conflicting force in the stomach, causing him to gasp and drop the AK-47.

Then he started to swing, the plane above tilted with his weight. About a minute passed before his arc finally stabilized and he was able to look around. Suddenly, the predator drone swooped by in front him. Nate pulled out his Beretta, took aim, and fired. All of the bullets went wide and his clip went empty. He reloaded and tried again. He emptied the clip again with no success. He put in his final clip.

He started taking a second between every shot. But it didn't work, eventually; he was down to his last bullet. The drone turned about and set course directly for him. Nate took aim one final time, sighting the center of the drone's front. He held himself as steady as he could, and thinking about everyone in the plane, pulled the trigger.

The gun jumped in his hand as the bullet left the barrel. The sparks jumped out as usual, and the familiar sound could barely be heard above the wind and Sully's plane's propellers. The bullet struck the Predator dead center. It went into a wild death spin.

"Yea!" Nate yelled. But then he realized the Predator was still heading straight for him. "Oh no I'm dead, oh no I'm dead, oh shit I am so dead!"

The drone pulled slightly away from him as it neared him, and just as the wing was about to slice him in half, it spun away from him, but as it passed, the predator's rear propeller sliced the left side of Nate's face. It caused him to bleed slightly, but it was a light cut. The predator finished its death roll as it passed him and exploded.

Nate felt his chest, and then started laughing.

"I'm alive! Screw off you stupid drone! I'm alive!" He shouted. "Yea, I'm alive!"

Suddenly, his safety line bucked and he dropped a few feet.

"Oh shit! I'm so dead!" He yelled. He grabbed behind him and seized his safety line in his hand. He pulled himself up a few feet from that awkward position, and then flipped around and used both his hands to climb as fast as he could as the safety line bucked again. He then looked up, and he saw Elena. She grabbed the rope and started to pull him up.

They made quite a bit of progress, but a few feet from the plane, the webbing must've snapped, because the rope suddenly began sliding through her hands and she fell forward.

"Let go!" Nate yelled as he saw her start to get pulled off the side and he fell downwards. But suddenly, Charlie grabbed her from behind, and Chloe grabbed the rope, which stopped Nate from falling any further. Together they all pulled him up into the plane. He climbed in and flipped over as they closed the door behind him.

He was breathing heavily. Elena leaned down next to him.

"Are you okay Nate?" She asked.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." Nate said. "Sully!"

"Yea kid, are you alright?" He asked.

"No thanks to you! You almost got me killed!"

"Sorry, I had to get away from the missile."

"Ah shit, don't worry about it. I'll be fine."

Nate stood up and went to the front of the plane.

"Oh no…" Harold suddenly said as he looked passed Sully with his eyes wide.

"What now?" Nate asked he looked to the side of Sully's head and saw it to. "Oh shit."

It was a fighter jet.

"It's an F-22 Raptor!" Harold said. "I don't know how the hell they got one of those! There's a ban on exports from the United… AH!"

Sully rolled them out of the way as the Raptor fired it machine guns. They barely avoided the burst as Nate held on as hard as he could. It flew by overhead extremely fast.

"Nate, there's a Stinger in the back, grab it!" Sully yelled.

"Yes sir!" Nate yelled. He ran to the back and found a case marked "_FIM-92 Stinger_" and flung it open. Nate lifted the missile launcher and concluded it was already loaded.

"Charlie, open that door!" Nate yelled. Charlie got up, and pulled the door open. Sully slowly bought the rear end of the fighter into view as it flipped around the make another run. He aimed the launcher, got a lock, and fired. The missile zoomed at the fighter, which quickly swung to the left to avoid it. But the missile was hot on its tail as the fighter flew by.

Charlie flung open the other door while Nate closed the one they had been using so they could see. The fighter flipped around to make another run at them. As it did, it suddenly fired a missile directly at them. Charlie and Nate went wide-eyes and as Charlie dived out of the way, Nate pulled open the door he just closed. Suddenly, the missile the jet had fired flew right through the hole as the Stinger followed the jet above the propeller plane and dived back down on the other side.

That was a huge mistake, because its own missile hit the nose of the jet, blowing it into two pieces. Then the Stinger missile flew in and blew up the rest of it.

Charlie and Nate jumped up laughing.

"We did it!" Nate yelled.

"That was amazing mate!" Charlie yelled. There was a chorus off laughter and shouts of joy from the rest of the plane. Charlie and Nate grabbed and hugged each other, then suddenly realized what they were doing and separated. Nate looked at him.

"That… never happened." Nate said.

"Don't I know it mate." Charlie said. The others laughed at them. Charlie sat back down and buckled himself as Nate went back to the cockpit.

"Please, _please_, tell me that we're done." Nate said.

"I've got to get some Radar installed on this thing." Sully said.

"That should be it…" Harold said.

"Thank god." Nate said. "Sully, where did you get all that stuff in the back?"

"I have some… contacts." Sully said. "From back in the Navy."

"Geez, you and the Navy... Anyways, I'm going to go in the back, grab a sleeping back, and take a nap." Nate said. "You old timers have fun."

Nate left.

"So…" Sully said. "You're Nate's dad right?"

"Uh… yea. You're the one who raised him?" Harold responded.

"Yea, from the time he was fourteen at least." Sully said.

"I saw that in the records from the Templars. Thank you… for protecting Nate."

"I did what I had to do, no reason to thank me."

"You could've just done your job."

"I'm not that cold."

"That's what I'm thanking you for."

They were quiet for a moment.

"You're welcome." Sully said. "But, can you fill me in on why you abandoned him in the first place?"

Harold told him the story.

"Oh… well, that's heavy stuff." Sully said. "Sorry…"

"It's not a problem. It was… my own fault for not being able to protect my wife from them." Harold said. "So I did what I could and protected Nate from the Templars."

"You did the right thing." Sully said.

"I'm not so sure. The Templars… they've made me do some really bad things." Harold said. "I've killed people that didn't deserve it, stopped the advancement of peace in the world, and done other really bad things… all to protect my son. I'm selfish."

"He's your son; you did what you had to." Sully said.

"I should've fought back sooner. But I guess by the time Nate was safe, I had just gotten used to it all."

"That's not your fault."

"No, it is. I have to make amends for that. I don't know how, but I will make amends for what I've done. I'll take down the Templars; prevent them from spreading more evil in the world."

"I'm sure Nate will be right by your side doing that. Even in the short time he's known you, I can see that he's really grown to love you. Not that he would admit it."

"I'm sure you will to." Harold said. "You're his father to."

"Nah, I'm just his mentor." Sully said. Harold put his hand on Sully's shoulder.

"That isn't true, and you know it."

"Thanks."

They fell into silence as Sully adjusted their course for the UK.

"So, where exactly are we going?" Sully asked.

"I had some friends arrange a private airstrip for us is Gosforth, Cumbria, United Kingdom." Harold said.

"What are we going there for?" Sully asked.

Harold filled him in on everything that had happened.

"Oh, so here we go on another adventure. I'm too old for this."

"So am I, but I'm here." Harold said.

"Ha, we old people have to help each other out." Sully said.

"You know it, now get us to Cumbria."

"Got it."

* * *

><p><strong>Done! Now, did that chapter not blow you away? That was one of the most explosive action sequences I've ever written up. That set piece is so worthy of Uncharted, would it not be sick to see that happen in-game?<strong>


	9. Chapter 9: Captain Rogers

**Welcome to the next chapter after my little break there.**

**The end of this chapter will blow your mind, now get reading, *wink***

* * *

><p><strong>Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost<strong>

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: May 7th, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: Captain Rogers<strong>

"_Every parting gives a foretaste of death, every reunion a hint of the resurrection." **–Arthur Schopenhauer**_

* * *

><p>"Hm… is that it?" Sully asked. Night had fallen, stars populated the sky. There were orange lights in the distance. "Hello?"<p>

Sully turned to find Harold sleeping. He put his hand over and pushed him slightly.

"Hey, wake up; I need you to tell me where to go here." Sully said.

Harold slowly stirred and sat up.

"I apologize. I have not been sleeping well as of late." Harold said.

"It's alright, but is that it." Sully said pointing through the windshield. Harold consulted the maps.

"Yes, it should be." He replied. Sully handed him the radio. Harold switched to a general hailing channel and depressed the button.

"Hello, this is Treasure Flight requesting permission to land." Harold said.

"This is Golden Retriever Treasure Flight, switch to private channel six." A voice came back in a distinctly British accent.

"Private channel six?" Sully asked.

"It's how we avoid communication interception." Harold said as he tuned the radio. "We have about 20 channels, and each time we need to talk, we switch to one of them at complete random. Maybe they're intercepting one, but they can't possibly be checking them all."

"Huh, smart." Sully replied.

Harold depressed the button again and spoke.

"This is again Treasure Flight requesting permission to land at SAS 1." He said and released the button.

If Sully had been drinking something, he would've spat it onto the windshield at that moment.

"SAS! As in British Special Air Services?" Sully asked. Harold nodded.

"This is Golden Retriever; you have permission to land at SAS 1 Harold." The radio said.

"This is Treasure Flight, and we're coming to ya Mr. Rogers." Harold said.

"I thought I told you not to call me that Harold." He replied. Sully could've sworn he heard sniggering in the background. "Why don't you blokes shut it?"

"Well Captain, since when do I listen to a word you say." Harold said as Sully pulled them into a landing run.

"Good point, see you when you touch the ground." Replied the man on the ground. "Captain Rogers out."

"A Captain huh?" Sully asked. "That's pretty high-rank there."

"He's a pretty old friend of mine from when I was back in the CIA. He's bailed me out of a couple of jams. He… he uh, helped me clear up a few of my troubles with the Templars." Harold said. "I much prefer hiding people from the Templars then killing them like they asked."

"I knew you weren't all bad." Sully said grinning.

"Still, there are plenty of people out there dead because of what I've had to do." Harold said.

"You tried your best."

"It wasn't enough to save them."

Sully quieted as the plane touched the ground and rocked. There was a thump in the back as Nate fell off of the bench right on top of Charlie.

"Ouch! What the hell was that for mate?" Charlie said pushing him off.

"Sorry! Sully, you did that on purpose didn't you!" Nate called.

"I don't know what you're talking about kid." Sully said. He laughed, grinning, and pulled out a Cuban from his pocket. Harold reached over and lit the cigar for him with a lighter from his pocket. "Thanks."

"No problem." Harold replied. He stood up and walked to the back. He threw open the door and jumped down. A slightly older British officer with a short gray beard walked toward him. Nate and the rest watched from the plane.

Suddenly, the man pulled a gun from his holster and pointed it at Harold.

"Put your hands up mate." He said.

Nate, Elena, and Charlie jumped down and pulled guns of their own.

"I highly recommend you put the gun down chap." Charlie said.

"Wow, 'recommend' is a pretty big word Charlie." Nate said without taking his eyes off the British officer.

"Shuddup." Charlie replied.

"Why don't you both shut your traps?" Elena said.

"Why don't you put those down guys?" Harold asked.

"He's pointing a gun at you…" Nate said.

"Just do it Nate." Elena said. She holstered her gun. Nate and Charlie unwillingly followed. The British Officer started laughing heartily and pointed his pistol at the ground. He walked up to Harold and the two hugged. Harold started laughing to.

"Good to see ya mate." The Officer said.

"Good to see you to. Why don't you be more careful with that thing? You could shoot someone's eye out with that thing Cap'." Harold said.

"You know me, I'm a good shot." The Captain said releasing Harold and stepped back.

"Not last time your wife checked."

"That was a low blow, literally!"

They both continued laughing. Nate stared on completely baffled along with Charlie. Elena just shrugged.

Harold turned around.

"Nate, Elena, Charlie…" Harold started as Sully and Chloe stepped out of the plane. "…and of course Chloe and Sully, meet Captain Tom Rogers, my best friend."

"Mister Rogers…" Harold started. Captain Rogers rolled his eyes while Nate and Charlie tried not to laugh. "…meet my Son. Nate."

Nate waved.

"My son's wife, Elena."

She waved next.

"My sons' friends Charlie and Chloe."

Charlie and Chloe waved while she whispered something in Charlie's ear as she walked to his side. To Nate, it sounded suspiciously like, "Don't you feel like a child again right now?"

"…and his Mentor and the one who raised him… Sully."

Sully walked up to Captain Rogers.

"Nice to meet you, Victor Sullivan, terrible old man looking for treasure." Sully said shaking hands with Rogers.

"Nice to meet you as well, Captain Tom Rogers, terrible old man looking to go into retirement." Rogers said smiling. Nate shrugged and walked over to Captain Rogers. He tried to give him a handshake.

Unexpectedly, he was pulled into a hug.

"Wh- huh…?" Nate mumbled.

"Just look at how you've grown…" Rogers said holding him at arm's length.

"Oh, something I forgot to mention Nate, Captain Rogers is your Godfather." Harold said.

"Well, in that case…" Nate said. He hugged him back nervously. "…well, what about my Godmother?"

Both Captain Rogers and Harold suddenly were unable to look at Nate.

"Nate… I guess there's another story we have to tell you." Harold said.

* * *

><p><strong>29 Years Earlier, in the year 1973<strong>

* * *

><p>Harold and Lucy walked side-by-side through airport security as though they were lovers. Arm in arm.<p>

"So Harold… where is he…" Lucy whispered out of the corner of her lip.

"He'll be out here any minute now, we just need to wait." Harold whispered back.

"Well, since we apparently have time." Lucy said back. "I thought you should know that Tom doesn't want me doing this anymore."

"Well Sergeant Rogers is going to have to deal with it, or has he forgotten what happens to people that try to leave the Templars?" Harold asked. "Or what's at stake if either of us decides to?"

"I know, but I get to spend such a small amount of time with him." Lucy said. "Especially with them having us out killing people all the time."

"I know you love your husband, but he's the lucky one. If he hadn't been in the SAS, he would've been pressed into service to." Harold said. "Does he really regard his Godson's life less important than making sure he isn't assassinated by the Templars?"

"No… of course he doesn't…" Lucy said.

"Wait, look, isn't that him." Harold said pointing out a pompous middle-aged man strolling through the crowd like he owned the place with his four security guards.

"Yes, he sure makes himself pretty obvious." Lucy said. "I'll go do my job, you go do yours."

She ran off. Harold hated it when she didn't wait for a response, but turned around and left the Terminal to go outsides anyways. He quickly and silently moved to the left of the Terminal to an area protected by an electric fence.

Harold pulled out a small air-powered Grapple Gun from his uniform.

"God, even if I am working for the bad guys, sure can't beat having tools like this." He said to himself.

He aimed the grapple gun at the top right side of the Terminal and fired it. He used the mechanism to pull him higher than the electric fence, then did a slight run and leaped over the fence. He landed smoothly on the other side. He quickly walked forward and started climbing the ladder up onto the second level.

No one was around and he walked to the door, and opened it. Two airport security guards were there; he knocked them out with a few quick punches and proceeded into the facility. He watched his corners and avoided any further guards until he got to the Security Area with a good view over the Terminal.

He looked around and didn't see anyone in the hallway he was going to set up. He went over to a potted plant a pulled out a briefcase that had been placed there for him earlier by another guard that they had paid off.

He pulled it open and assembled the M40 Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle inside. After attaching the scope, he stood up and looked around through the scope. It didn't take him long to find Lucy in her intentionally extravagant yellow dress. She was doing her job, distracting the man by flirting with him.

He went into a prone position and adjusted his aim so he was aiming at the man's head. Harold put his arm up to his ear and depressed the earpiece he was wearing.

"I'm in position, are you ready?" Harold said. There was a slight click on the other end.

"I'm ready…" Lucy whispered. He could see her leaning away from the man to talk to him.

_Perfect… no wind inside. _Harold concluded. He approximated the distance and raised the rifle accordingly.

"Firing… now…" Harold said. He pulled the trigger, and the gun jumped in his hand. The glass shattered before him and he saw the man's head burst into pieces in the distance and heard the shot through the earpiece. He heard Lucy scream and get down, acting innocent.

Harold dropped the rifle and plunged a spike into the wall behind him attached to a safety line wrapped around his waist. He heard footsteps approaching quickly. Then he saw it, one of the security guards had turned on Lucy and was pushing a gun to her skull.

"No…" Harold whispered to himself. He heard the other man's voice over the earpiece, as he was so close to her.

"_I know who you are…" He said. "…I will kill you." _

"No!" Harold shouted. He jumped out of the window and the safety line caught just above the Terminal floor as security guards rushed in behind him. He grabbed his knife, and cut the rope.

"_I don't… I don't know what you're talking about…" Lucy said back._

"Lucy! Hold on, I'm coming!" Harold said. He was running through the stampeding crowd as fast as he could. But they were pushing him in every which direction.

"_It matters not, I know, and it's your time to die." He replied. _

"I'm almost there!" Harold yelled. He grabbed a pistol hidden under his belt and he pointed it skyward, and fired. The crowd ran away from him as he sprinted towards where he remembered Lucy being. But then he heard a gunshot, through his earpiece, and through the crowd.

"NO!" Harold shouted. "LUCY!"

He finally emerged from the crowd. There he was, standing over Lucy in his black suit… a gun pointed down at Lucy, and blood covering the ground.

"No… no Lucy!" Harold said. He dropped to his knees, seeing even from here that she was dead.

The man looked at him, and grinned. He then sprinted off.

"You bastard!" Harold yelled. "Come back here!"

He stood up and ran after the guard who had killed Lucy. He could've sworn he heard laughing as he sprinted through the crowd after him. Then, suddenly, Harold was out in the open and he could see the other man running in the distance.

Harold raised his pistol and took aim. He was about to pull the trigger, but then he heard another gunshot from behind him and above. He tried to turn around, but then a bullet pierced his back and he fell forward and blacked out.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

* * *

><p>"I… I recognize that name." Nate said. "Lucy… I… remember her face… She… was my godmother?"<p>

Harold nodded. Elena walked up to and hugged him as tears started coming from Nate's eyes unbidden.

"I woke up in a hospital bed in Britain not much later. The airport was in America." Harold said.

* * *

><p><strong>29 Years Earlier, in the year 1973<strong>

* * *

><p>His eyes slowly drifted open to gaze at the ceiling. The beeping of heart monitors pierced his ears. The memories of what had happened pierced his heart, and he began to cry.<p>

"Harold? Are you awake?" Said the voice of a much younger Tom Rogers. It was gruff, and angry, and sad all at the same time.

"T-Tom, is that you?" Harold asked. Suddenly, he saw Tom standing above him.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Lucy… she's dead…" Harold said. "I'm… so sorry Tom…"

"It was your job to protect her!" Tom said. Suddenly, he pressed a pistol to the side of Harold's head.

"I know… I know!" Harold said.

"I have half a mind to kill you right now…" Tom said as he started to cry to.

"Then do it Tom… just do it…" Harold said sobbing. "I should be dead already."

"…but I won't." Tom said. He holstered the pistol. "Getting shot in the back by your own gun is payment enough."

"I'm… I'm sorry Tom…" Harold said.

"You didn't answer my question." Sergeant Rogers said.

"One… one of the guards of them man we were supposed to assassinate… he knew who we were!" Harold said.

"But… that's impossible… unless…" Tom started to say. Then it looked like he had come to a revelation. He gripped his gun hard. "Those… those Templar bastards!"

"What is it Tom?" Harold asked.

"A week ago, I found that my drawers had been disturbed after I set them in order. Plans for an escape we were planning to make to America were in there. We were going to go rescue Nate and hide him from them…" Tom said. "Oh my god… this isn't your fault… it's mine. I… I talked her into it.

"They made good on their promise…"

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

* * *

><p>"I didn't try it again. I knew I could get myself killed next, and I needed to make sure you were safe Nate." Captain Rogers said. "I hated myself after that. Ever since, I've helped Harold here lessen the damages he's had to do for the Templars. Since he left, we've been making plans to bring them down.<p>

"I've heard of all of this Ark of the Covenant stuff. Harold phoned me yesterday after all of those discoveries you made, he told me the story."

"Do you actually believe it?" Nate asked as he wiped his eyes on his arm.

"I don't know what to believe, but if the Templars are after it, we may be able to trace them back to the source." Captain Rogers said.

"But… don't you work for the SAS?" Nate asked.

"They know about the Templars, they fully endorse my activities."

"They?" Elena asked.

"British Government... Well, at least the ones who aren't Templars." Rogers said. "So, I'm coming with you."

"Okay, well, can we wait until tomorrow?" Charlie asked. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I could use a good stiff drink after all of this."

"I like your style bloke. I would go out and get piss drunk with you, but I'm on duty." Rogers said.

"Too bad chap." Charlie said.

"I… I could use a drink to." Nate said.

"Me to." Elena said.

"Me three." Chloe said.

"I don't know about you all, but I'm getting some shut-eye. Been up all night." Sully said.

"Yea, go catch up on your beauty sleep old man." Nate said.

"I'm… sorry about your Godmother kid…" Sully said. Nate nodded, and Sully nodded back. He closed the door on the plane.

"I'm going to stay here and spend some time with Tom, it's been a while." Harold said.

"Well, know any good pubs in these parts mate?" Charlie asked Captain Rogers.

"Yea, just go down the road and travel a few blocks." Rogers said. "There's one on the right."

He threw Charlie a set of keys, which he caught.

"Take my truck; it's the black Chevy in the Parking Lot."

"Thanks mate would've been bloody murder to walk." Charlie replied.

"No problem chap, all you blokes have fun." Rogers said. They all started walking.

Sooner than later, they were all in the truck. Elena and Nate sat in the back talking quietly.

"This is more sad stuff then I can bear to take babe…" Chloe said.

"Well, hopefully you won't feel that way after a few drinks sweetie." Charlie said.

"Sweetie? What kind of a pet-name is that?" Chloe asked.

"Well, what do you prefer? My little candy-poo sound as good as it does in bed?" Charlie said grinning.

"You said you would never speak of that." Said Chloe flipping around.

Nate and Elena were sniggering in the back.

"Oh, yea, laugh it up…" Chloe said. She slid down in her seat.

"I can tell who isn't get anywhere tonight…" Nate said. Elena and he laughed.

"Oh, shut up mate…" Charlie said.

They walked into the rather unpopulated pub, and went up to the bar. Chloe and Charlie sat to Nate and Elena's left. The British bartender came up.

"What would you all like?" He asked.

"Give me some scotch mate." Charlie said.

"I'll take Red Wine." Chloe said.

"I'll take that to." Elena said.

"Just give me the strongest thing you've got." Nate replied.

"Coming right up." He said.

There drinks were there in a flash. Nate dumped the shot into his mouth without further avail, then he turned to his right and saw someone rather familiar at the end of the bar. He was wearing a red shirt and blue jeans. He was throwing back a beer so Nate couldn't see his face.

He waited for a second, and his eyes widened as he realized who it was.

"Um… Elena…? Am I drunk already or is that…?" Nate started to ask. She looked, and her eyes widened to.

"But… that's impossible." Elena said.

"What?" Chloe asked leaning around to look at the man. "No… way… in hell…"

"What?" Charlie asked. "Who is he? I don't recognize him."

"You wouldn't…" Nate said. "He died before we met."

"Died? What do you mean? He's right there!" Charlie asked.

"Sh! Quiet down." Elena said.

"Charlie, that my friend… is Harry Flynn."

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><p><strong>Ha! Weren't expecting that were you? <strong>

**Sorry it took me so long, I get burned out and have to take breaks. But wasn't that quite the returning chapter? **

**Remember to review, *wink***


	10. Chapter 10: Scafell Pike

**Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost**

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: June 16****th****, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 10: Scafell Pike<strong>

"_Don't tase me bro!"_ **–Unknown**

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><p>"So… now what?" Charlie asked.<p>

"Well, if he's here and somehow miraculously survived, can that really be a coincidence?" Chloe asked.

"Do you think he's following us?" Elena asked.

"It's a possibility." Nate said. "I don't think we can risk just leaving him there. Who knows, he may be out for revenge."

"Harry never really struck me as the revenge type." Chloe said.

"That doesn't matter, go and start the truck; I'll be out there with our friend in a minute." Nate said. They all nodded and left the bar; Nate paid for their drinks and stood up. He walked along the bar slowly, making sure to always be looking somewhere else. Either way, Harry didn't seem to be interested in anything but the drink in front of him.

This was to Nate's advantage, he was easily able to sneak behind him and press his Beretta to Harry's spine and sit next to him. He froze for a second and put down his drink.

"Hello Flynn." Nate said.

"Nate? Is that you?" Harry asked looking at him. "Been a while, hasn't it?"

"Well, I can't say I expected to see you again after you blew yourself up. You almost killed Elena." Nate said distastefully.

"What? Blew myself up?" Flynn said. "I haven't seen you since that job we pulled in the Caribbean, on that boat. Who's Elena?"

"Don't play with me Harry." Nate said pushing the gun into Flynn's back a little harder.

"Well, this at least explains why you have a gun to my back…" Flynn said. "I swear Nate; I don't remember anything you're talking about. Why don't I buy you a drink and we can talk all about it."

Nate didn't know why, but something about his face told him that Flynn was telling the truth.

"You're telling me you don't remember anything about the museum heist in Istanbul?"

"Can't say I remember robbing a museum in Istanbul with you, though I've been there before. Fun place, Turkish jails… not nice I hear."

"I can attest to that considering you got me thrown into one."

"Uh… sorry? I don't remember any of that."

Something was wrong with Flynn though, Nate could sense it.

"There's something you're not telling me, what is it?" Nate asked.

"Well, it's all a bit weird really." Flynn said. When Nate didn't add anything and just kept staring at him, he continued. "Well, um, I woke up in a field a few hours ago. I wandered around until I found this bar. I don't remember anything after the last time we met, when we robbed the boat…"

"…on the Caribbean." Nate finished.

"So, you said I blew myself up?" Flynn asked.

"Yea, you were working for Zoran Lazaravic. Betrayed me to help him out. Long story short, we followed you guys all the way back to Shambhala and when you got cornered, you decided to pull the pin on a grenade and blow yourself up."

"Well, I can't say I see myself doing that. But, according to you I did. Maybe that has something to do with me waking up in the middle of a field."

"The Caribbean job was more than four years ago, you killed yourself 2 years ago. I don't think there's a connection. What did we steal all those years ago anyways?" Nate asked.

"Seems like just yesterday to me… we stole a book." Flynn said.

"What was the book about?"

"What, you think I was paying attention?" Flynn replied.

"Come on Harry, you have to remember if we're going to figure this out." Nate said.

"Wait, I think I opened it up and read a little…" Flynn said. "I think… the client claimed it was…"

"Come on Harry…"

"Oh, he said it was Merlin's Spellbook." Flynn said. "What a load of gibberish, he paid well though."

"Shit, that can't be a coincidence." Nate said.

"What?" Flynn said.

"The last thing you remember is the Caribbean job, where we stole Merlin's Spellbook. Right now, we are searching for The Holy Grail."

"What, that thing King Arthur was looking for?"

"Yes and King Arthur's most trusted friend was Merlin. You read his Spellbook, and when we come here searching for the grail, you're here. That can't be a coincidence. It all links back to Arthurian legend. Do you remember the spell you read?"

"Absolutely no idea." Harry said.

"Pay for your drinks, you're coming with me." Nate said.

"Can I at least have one more…?"

"No."

Harry rolled his eyes and paid, then stood up with Nate's guidance. They walked out of the bar with Nate's gun firmly to his back.

"Come on, you don't believe me?" Flynn asked.

"I don't trust you as far as I can throw you Flynn." Nate said. "I think I believe you, but I'm not taking that chance."

As they approached the truck, Chloe suddenly stepped out of the car and jumped down. She went straight for Flynn.

"Well, hello Chloe…" Flynn said. He didn't get to finish as Chloe suddenly walked up and slapped him across the face as hard as she could.

"Ouch!" Flynn said. "What in the hell was that for?"

"You betrayed her to." Nate said. Suddenly Elena jumped down out of the car as well, and then she went and punched him straight in the center of the face. "Nice punch honey."

"I… don't even know her, why did she just punch me?" Flynn said.

"Remember what I said you hurt Elena when you blew yourself up?" Nate asked.

"This isn't fair; I'm getting punched around for things I don't even remember!"

Nate ignored him.

"Charlie, can you throw me some rope and tape?" He asked. Charlie complied and Nate bound Flynn up and put him behind the back seats.

"MMM!" Flynn said, trying to shout through the tape on his mouth.

"Oh shut up." Charlie said. He didn't as Nate climbed into the front seat.

Nate told all of them what had happened in the bar with Flynn trying to shout from the back.

"Do you honestly believe him? I thought we've all figured out by now that he's a lying backstabbing son of a bitch." Chloe asked.

"I don't know why, but I do." Nate said. "I am less inclined to believe him than anyone, I spent 3 months in a Turkish prison because of him, remember?"

"That sounds painful mate." Charlie said.

"I still don't trust him." Elena said.

"I don't think him showing up just as we're about to go and climb the mountain is a coincidence. Whether you all like it or not, he's coming."

"I don't, but I trust you Nate." Elena said.

"Me to, but he's staying tied up." Chloe said.

"Um, I don't think him staying tied up with us moving through a rather populated area is a good idea." Charlie replied.

"Fine, someone is going to keep an eye on him the whole time then." Elena said.

"If I'm not mistaken, Charlie just volunteered." Nate said patting him on the shoulder as the pulled up back into the SAS base and stepped out of the car.

"What?" Charlie said.

"Come on Charlie, you gotta help me get him out of the truck."

"I hate you." Charlie replied.

"I love you to buddy." Nate replied grinning.

"Bollocks." Charlie said. But he jumped out of the truck and helped him lift Flynn out of the truck and onto his feet.

"MMM!" Flynn said.

"Mmm?" Nate asked.

"MMM!"

"I don't quite hear you. Speak up." Nate said. Flynn just glared at him. "Charlie, stay here and watch him. We should get climbing up the mountain already before daybreak, which is in a few hours, which should give us enough time to climb."

Charlie nodded. Nate went to the plane and dragged open the door.

"Sully, you've had enough time to sleep, get your ass up so we can get going."

Nate heard groans from the inside and knew he had been successful; he went to the small building and entered. Harold and Captain Rogers were sitting across from each other at the table chatting.

"We should probably get going dad, is Captain Rogers coming?" Nate asked.

"No, I have to stay here and monitor the outpost." Rogers said. "This is a cover station for an SAS operation; we were already here before you called. We're in the middle of a sensitive operation."

"How sensitive?" Nate asked.

"Classified sensitive."

"Sounds very clandestine." Nate said. "Coming Dad?"

"Be right there." Harold replied. "Why don't you make sure the truck is started so I can say goodbye?"

"Of course." Nate said. "Nice to meet you Captain Rogers."

"Same to you son." He replied. Nate nodded and stepped outside. Chloe and Elena were waiting by the truck.

"Hey, Elena, Chloe, come and help me get some guns to bring along. Just in-case." Nate said.

"That's a man's work love." Chloe said jokingly.

"Ha ha ha." Nate said unenthusiastically. "Just come and help me so we can get going."

They moved and started helping Nate cart guns and ammo from the back of Sully's plane into the back of the truck. When they were full, they all climbed it.

"What about pretty boy? This has five seats, they're all taken and the back is now filled up, where are we going to put him?" Charlie asked.

"Looks like he's going to have to sit on your lap Charlie." Nate said grinning.

"No." Charlie said simply. Sully started climbing into the passenger seat. "By the way I call shotgun!"

"Show respect for the elderly." Sully said back.

"Bollocks." Charlie said.

"He's going to have to sit on your lap Charlie." Nate repeated.

"MMM!" Flynn tried to yell. They ignored him.

"No!" Charlie replied.

Ten minutes later, Nate was driving as Charlie set in the left back seat with Flynn on his lap. They were both glaring at the back of the seat in front of them. Then, Flynn adjusted his vision to Chloe who was sitting next to Charlie. He lifted his eyes in a suggestive way, and Chloe could tell he was grinning under the tape.

She slapped him again.

"MMMM!" Flynn said moving around.

"Stop squirming you moron!" Charlie said. But Flynn fell sideways and his face slid sideways along the back of Nate's seat, tearing the tape on his lips off.

"Oh thank god." Flynn said after he landed between their feet and the back of Nate's seat. "Finally, help me up would you."

"No, I think I quite prefer you there." Charlie said.

"No, come on and help me back up!"

"Shut up mate."

"Would you two stop bickering like children back there? I'm trying to drive here." Nate said. Harold merely sat next to Chloe lifting his eyebrow down at Flynn.

"What are you staring at old man?" Flynn asked.

"A fool." Harold replied.

"I'll show you a fool!" He said sitting up. Charlie subsequently threw him back down.

"Stop moving and shut up already!" Charlie said. Flynn complied grumbling.

"Quite the motley crew we've got here." Sully said to Nate.

"Yup." Nate replied.

They continued on for about an hour before reaching Scafell Pike's base and reaching the end of the road they could drive on.

"Okay, everyone out, we have to hike from here to the peak." Nate said throwing open the door and getting out. They all got out after him. Charlie dragged Flynn up and got him outside of the truck. "Everyone grab an AK, a Beretta, and some ammo."

Elena went to the back of the truck and opened it up, and the others followed her, grabbing the guns and ammo they needed. Flynn approached the back of the truck as Nate was grabbing what he needed and stashing it in his belt.

"What do you think you're doing mate?" Charlie asked grabbing his shoulder.

"Well, don't I get a gun?" He asked.

"I don't think so." Nate replied.

"But what if we encounter mystical monsters or something?" Flynn asked.

"Nice try. Come on, what are the chances of that?" Charlie asked.

"High." Nate said at the same time as Elena, Chloe, and Sully in the background.

"But I think you'll do just fine." Nate said reaching into the back of the truck and grabbing a Taser Gun. He tossed it to Charlie, who caught it. "If he tries to run, shoot him with that.

Charlie nodded.

"That isn't necessary…" Flynn said.

"Sure it isn't." Charlie said. "Now move along."

Nate gazed at what little of the mountain he could see in the dark, and wondered what they would find up there.

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><p><strong>Looks like the gang got some revenge on Flynn that chapter, for stuff he doesn't remember to, hahaha <strong>

**Comedic relief is great. This chapter is also a milestone (chapter 10!). **

**Anyways, remember to review. I write for you guys remember, *wink***

**Be prepared for a really neat chapter for the next one, it'll also be pretty long to, and everyone may not live to see tomorrow... **


	11. Chapter 11: Blood

**Welcome to my longest chapter ever. It's equivalent to four usual chapters wrapped into one. Please remember to review when all is said and done, I mean… one reviewer every new chapter is okay… but I would much prefer some more encouragement.  
><strong>

**I really hope you appreciate how much effort went into this chapter, it took all night to write (3AM to 7:30AM).  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost<strong>

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: June 17th, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11: Blood<strong>

"_For where thy treasure is, there also will thy heart be."_ **–Anonymous**

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><p>Charlie cut Flynn's bonds and watched him as the group proceeded up the mountain.<p>

They passed through a few populated areas, but they were mostly deserted at this time of night. One or two people caught sight of them, but they made sure to keep the AK's well hidden beside them to avoid eliciting a panic.

Sooner rather than later, they were approaching the peak.

"So, you said we were looking for caves or some such correct?" Chloe asked.

"Yes." Nate replied

"There are a lot of caves up here love." Chloe responded. "We'll be searching for ages."

"We'll just have to search one by one until we find-" Nate started.

"Wait a second." Flynn said. "I… think I sense something over there."

He pointed to a rock formation not far away.

"Sense? What a load of rubbish." Charlie said. "Shut up and keep moving."

"Hold on a moment." Nate said. "What do you mean sense?"

"It's like I'm being… repelled away from that direction. There's a slight pain on my head that comes up just because I look in that direction." Flynn replied.

"Well, no one has any clue as to the Grails earthly abilities, as it was "risen to the heavens" before anyone could write what its powers were." Harold said. "I don't see any reason why we shouldn't at least check it out."

"It could be a trap." Elena said.

"That's just a chance we'll have to take." Harold replied.

"Lead the way Flynn." Nate said.

"No problem, because going towards pain is a splendid idea." Flynn replied.

"Hey, at least you can find something without a map." Sully said. Nate and Sully laughed at their reference to a joke they had made a few years back when Flynn captured them.

"Is something funny?" Flynn asked.

"Yes, yes something is." Nate said. He added nothing more and turned away to lead them in the direction as they kept sniggering. A few minutes later, Flynn had led them among the rock formation. He groaned slightly as they got deeper inside.

"Something wrong Flynn?" Nate asked off-handedly.

"My headache is getting worse, and it's starting to be quite difficult to tell which way it wants me not to go." He replied.

"That must mean we're getting close." Harold said.

"Wait a second, there." Flynn said pointing at a seemingly random spot on the wall of rock not far away.

"Mate, there is nothing there." Charlie said.

"You don't see that?" Flynn asked.

"See what?" Nate asked.

"Some words written on that spot of wall over there, with glowing gold letters." Flynn replied.

"Can't say I do." Harold said. "Let's take a closer look."

They approached the wall until Flynn was nearly collapsing in pain.

"This… is as close as I can get." He said. "It's in Latin, English letters if that matters."

"Since when do you understand Latin?" Nate asked.

"I don't, but it sure sounds like Latin." Flynn said.

"What does it say?" Harold asked.

"Qui hic sequi non potest procedere, fatum manet in morte. Sed istarum alibi si probare te dignum procedere.

Intrare, et non revertar donec probationes complendas expectantibus te et antequam cadunt." Flynn said.

"That means… "The one who guided you here cannot proceed…"" Nate began.

"His fate rests in death." Harold continued.

"But yours rests elsewhere if you prove yourself worthy to proceed." Nate continued.

"Enter here and you will not return until you complete the trials that wait for you, or until you fall dead." They finished together.

"Fall dead does not sound too ominous for you?" Charlie said. "Besides, why should we believe this rubbish?"

"Charlie, we never told him anything we found out about we had to do when we got here. He knew about the trials." Nate said. Charlie shrugged.

"You're missing one thing, where is there to proceed to?" Chloe asked.

"Is there anything else on the door Flynn?" Nate asked.

"Weird symbols and a handprint in the middle." Flynn said. "What does it mean, my "fate rests in death"?"

"I don't know…" Nate replied. "But press your hand to the door where the handprint is."

"But that means I have to get closer!" Flynn responded.

"I know, but do it, and I promise you can leave." Nate said. Flynn nodded and stood up. He groaned in pain as he stood and got even closer.

"Agh… my headache is so bad I can barely see." Flynn said. "I hope this works."

He pressed his hand to the wall, and suddenly, that part of the wall collapsed inward and into the depths. Then Flynn stumbled back into the rocks.

"What do you know…? He was telling the truth." Charlie said.

"You can leave now Flynn." Nate said.

"What, are you serious Nate?" Elena asked.

"I promised him he could go." He replied.

"He could show up again at any time and kill us!" Chloe said.

"I won't do that." Flynn said.

"Oh, and we can definitely believe you." Chloe said. Flynn grinned nervously and scratched his head.

"Look, we can't bring him in there." Nate said. "None of us want to stay out here right?"

"I do!" Charlie said.

"With him?" Nate asked. Charlie shook his head now.

"Never mind." He said.

"So, we don't really have any choice but to let him go." Nate said. "Go Flynn, get out of here."

"You don't have to ask me twice." He said. He got up and walked away from the rock formation.

"Okay, now let's go." Nate said. He walked to the opening and looked down. "It's a slide, and it's steep. Once we go down, we're not coming up."

"There's probably an exit on the other side." Harold said.

"But we can't be sure of that." Elena said.

"Honey, when can we ever be sure of anything?" Nate asked. He grabbed hold of the top of the slide, and slid down yelling. She shrugged and followed him.

"I'm too old for this." Sully said shaking his head.

"So am I." Harold said, but he went down the slide. Sully shrugged and followed him. Charlie went to the top of the slide.

"Bollocks, why does it always have to be small spaces?" He said observing the tight space. He walked away and didn't look at the shaft. "Okay, I'm going to have to trick myself. On three." He gulped. "one…"

Then he ran backwards and fell down screaming as he went down the slide backwards.

"It'll all be over soon…" He started to repeat to himself over and over again for almost 45 seconds. "Oh my god please make it…"

He didn't finish the sentence as he suddenly slammed into a bunch of small stones over a dirt floor and rolled. Sully and Harold helped him to his feet.

"Now what did you go and do that for son?" Sully asked.

"As I've said before, I'm not a very big fan of tight spaces." Charlie replied dusting himself off.

Nate looked around ignoring them; pieces of weathered stone floor were everywhere. The floor was covered with dirt and small stones. But he couldn't see far into the impenetrable darkness, as the only light was from the shaft they had just come down. He turned about and grabbed a torch from off the wall.

"Need a light kid?" Sully asked going for his lighter.

"Not this time Sully." Nate said pulling a book of matches from his pocket. "I brought my own matches this time."

"Huh, I didn't think you'd taken that to heart." Sully said grabbing his own torch and lighting it.

Nate struck a match across the matchbook and lit his own torch. They were at the far end of a large hall, the light from their torches didn't even reach the ceiling, and it didn't reach the end either. But he could just make out a huge stone tablet in the center of the hall.

"Well, would you look at that…" Sully whispered.

"I guess you were right Nate." Chloe said.

"Aren't I always?" Nate asked. He approached the giant stone tablet in the center and lifted his torch so he could read the engraved script. He read it out loud. "Ante te iacet quinque iudiciis. Omnes perferre et grail habeto. Non solum indigna morte manet. Vos vires adversus omnem terram ultimam quaerentes enim cogitationes potentium saeculi. Nolo tibi fortuna Restat ut ingratus necem. Est non retro. Rex Arthurus."

"Yea, so what does it all mean?" Sully asked.

"It means my friend…" Harold said. "Before thee lies five trials. Complete them all, and the grail shall be yours. Fail, and only death awaits the unworthy. You will face all of the forces of this Earth in this final quest for one of the most powerful devices of this world. I wish thee luck, as the alternative is an unpleasant death. There is no turning back. King Arthur."

"Nate, what have we gotten ourselves into?" Elena asked.

"It doesn't matter. You heard King Arthur, there is no turning back." Nate replied.

"Then we should get going." Elena said.

"Good idea, stay close." Nate replied. They all rounded the large tablet and saw a door at the end of the hall. They followed Nate to it.

"Nathan, be careful opening that door." Harold said.

"I will." He replied. He tried pushing one of the doors, it was stuck. He handed the torch to Elena. "Dad, help me with this will you?"

"My pleasure." He replied. He took up a position on the opposite side of the door.

"On three." Nate said. "One… two… three!"

They pushed the doors with all their might and they flew open. Nate stumbled inside while Harold let the door carry its own momentum and steadied himself easily. There was one rather thin wooden bridge stretching across a chasm.

"Look, up there kid." Sully said pointing towards the ceiling, which was rather lower than the hall they had just left. Nate saw it, it was another tablet, but he couldn't read it at this distance.

"I can't read it from here…" He said.

"Look, there's the door." Charlie said pointing across the chasm.

"I see it, looks like stone. No way we're lifting that." Nate replied.

"Those levers must have something to do with it." Elena said. Pointing to two levers on either side of the entrance to the bridge. Nate walked over and pulled one. He waited for a moment, but nothing happened.

"We probably have to pull them both at the same time." Nate said.

"I'll do it." Charlie said taking up a position at the other lever.

"On three." Nate said.

"Wait, is that one, two, three… or one, two, three, pull?" Charlie asked.

"I thought we'd been over this Charlie, just pull." Nate said. They both pulled there levers.

"Hey, look at the tablet!" Chloe said. Nate heard it before he saw it, fire springing to life far above them, lighting the otherwise dark place. It revealed that a large stack of wood was below them, and Nate was sure it was covered it oil to from what he could see. He looked up and saw that fire traced the Latin lettering.

"Primum iudicium est iudicium per ignem." Nate read. "Your first trial is a trial by fire…"

Suddenly, there was a scraping of stone across stone and everyone started looking around.

"What was that?" Charlie asked.

Nate looked around for the source, before he saw it. Four spots along either side of the wall had opened up, and just as he looked, molten lava started pouring from the openings.

"Oh shit!" Nate said. "Everyone, across the bridge now."

Harold was first, dashing across the wooden bridge as the lava set fire to the wood below, which quickly spread. The rest eagerly rushed after him as the fire leapt to incredible heights. Nate looked back as a stone slab collapsed right where they had come in.

_There's no going that way… _He thought.

"Nate, what are you waiting for? Come on!" Elena yelled after him. He flipped around and started running across the surprisingly sturdy bridge. But at that point, the fire reached its peak and started lighting parts of the bridge on fire. He ran faster, but he could already feel the boards underneath him weakening.

Suddenly, there was a snapping noise behind him and he fell to the right into the rope and dropped his torch into the fire below.

"Shit, Nate, get out of there!" Sully shouted from the other side. He started running again but suddenly, there was another snap and the entire bridge fell to the right. He went tumbling downwards, but he quickly grabbed onto the rope. He was about half way across the bridge at this point and he could feel fire licking at his shoes.

"Nate, you have to move!" Chloe shouted. He looked to the right and saw Harold pulling Charlie up onto the other side, as he had almost fallen when the right side of the bridge had collapsed as well. He made his way as fast as he could to the right, when he was about three-quarters of the way across. He could feel the bridge weakening and tried to go faster, but there was another snap from his left.

Suddenly, the entire bridge swung to Nate's right and slammed into the stone wall. He almost lost his grip.

"Your almost there Nate, climb!" Harold shouted. He complied climbing as fast as he could up the burning bridge, sometimes having to switch sides to avoid burning fires climbing up from the bottom of the bridge. But just as he was almost there, another snap resounded above the flames and the bridge started falling into the fire.

"Oh shit!" He shouted as he fell. He saw a ledge just as the bridge dropped and quickly jumped for it, managing to grab onto it with one hand as the bridge fell into the fire.

"Are you alright down there mate?" Charlie called from up on top as Nate grabbed the ledge with his other hand.

"I'm… I'm fine." Nate said. Climbing upwards along the scorched rocks. He soon reached the top. "Help me up."

Sully and Harold grabbed his hands and pulled him upwards.

"You alright kid?" Sully asked as he fell backwards onto the rocks to rest.

"I'm alive." Nate said. They went to try and help him to his feet. "Just… just give me a second alright."

"Fair enough." Sully said. Suddenly he pointed and cried out… "Wait; watch it Nate there's a snake!"

"Wait, what!" Nate asked jumping to his feet. He flipped around looking where Sully was pointing. Everyone started laughing.

"Son, you just fell for the oldest trick in the book." Harold said grinning.

"Yea, laugh it up. Let's get moving." Nate said. He grabbed another torch from the wall and touched it to Sully's to ignite it. The next chamber they entered was tall but not very much else. There was hole in the ceiling that light cascaded through, slightly lighting the room. There was a ladder to a raised stone platform far above them, and in the center of the floor in front of a tablet lying face-up upon it was a lever.

Nate went to the tablet.

"Alteram ex aqua iudicium, trahunt vectis incipere." He read. "Your next trial is by water, pull the lever to begin. Hm…"

"Something wrong Nate?" Harold asked.

"I think I know what's going on. The tablet in the front said we'd be facing all of the forces of the Earth." Nate said. "First we faced fire, and now we are facing water. It's the classical elements."

"Fire, Water, Air, and Earth…" Harold said. "Although not necessarily in that order."

"Exactly." Nate replied. "At least now we know what we're facing… But if four of the trials are the classical elements, what would the fifth trial be?"

"I don't know…" Harold answered. "I guess we'll find out."

"Okay… everyone up that ladder. I want you guys save before I pull the lever." Nate said. They complied, and sooner rather than later they were up there.

"There's another stone door up here." Elena called down.

"Got it, is everyone ready?" Nate called back up.

"No." Charlie called back down.

"Fair enough." Nate said. He pulled the lever. Instantly, a slab fell down over the doorway they had just entered by. There was a scraping of stone above him and Nate looked up to see vented uncovered, and suddenly, water fell from those vents. Stone slabs slid open on the walls as the room quickly started filling with water. There seemed to be some kind of pressure plates arrayed under some words Nate couldn't make out on three of the walls.

"Can you guys see the words up there?" Nate called.

"I'm afraid not kid, you're just going to have to wait until the water level is high enough!" Sully called back down.

"That's just perfect…" Nate whispered to himself. So he waited, the water level quickly rose to his waste, then to his chest, and kept going. When he was neck high, he started pushing with his legs to keep himself afloat.

After a few minutes, they were almost to the pressure plates and Nate could make out the words.

"Ego in diversis figuris et moles. Pars me sunt curvae, aliis sunt recta. Vis potes me huc, sed unus pro loco. Quid ego?" Nate yelled above the sound of the water. "I come in different shapes and sizes. Part of me are curves, others are straight. You can put me anywhere you like, but there is only one right place for me. What am I?"

"Riddles? Oh I'm terrible at these." Charlie yelled back. "Um… genitals!"

"That's sick Charlie." Chloe replied.

"What, it's the first thing that came to mind…" He responded.

"The pictures on the pressure plates Nate!" Harold called out. "What are they?"

"Wait, can't he just push all of them until he gets it right?" Chloe called out.

"Something terrible will probably happen if he presses the wrong one." Sully replied.

Nate turned his attention to the pressure plates.

"Um… a continent, a puzzle piece, a quill, and a horse." Nate called up. "This one's easy, it's the puzzle piece!"

"I agree!" Harold called back. Nate swam over to the pressure plate and pushed it into the wall. The stone that had slid over to uncover it slid back into place. He swam over to the next riddle.

"Numquam ego sum semper nemo vidit unquam, nec velle, et ego fiducia omnium in globum vivere et spirare. Quid ego?" Nate called out. "I never was, am always to be, No one ever saw me, nor ever will, And yet I am the confidence of all, To live and to breathe on this terrestrial ball. What am I?"

"I've heard this one before." Sully called out. "The answer is tomorrow, but what are the pictures?"

The pictures were now underwater, so Nate couldn't quite see them. He dived under and observed them then came back up as the water covered the words.

"The sun, the moon, a grassy field, and the sun coming over the horizon." Nate replied.

"Sun over the horizon!" Elena called. He nodded and dived back under. He depressed the switch, and this was a big mistake. The ceiling collapsed inward and water starting pouring in at a much faster rate as Nate dodged the falling rocked. He went underwater and looked at the pictures again, and he figured it out.

_I have to press two buttons at one! The sun and the moon! _Nate thought. He swam towards them and depressed both pressure plates, the stone slid over to cover them. He surfaced; he couldn't see the elevated platform any more as the torrent of water got in the way. But he wasn't far from the ceiling, so he took one last deep breath and dived back down underwater to go read and solve the last riddle.

_Maius est quam diabolus et malum. Pauperes, et tu comedes et si dives opus morietur. Quod est?_ He read. _It is greater than God and more evil than the devil. The poor have it, the rich need it and if you eat it you'll die. What is it?_

He looked down, and was surprised to find that instead of the pictures on tablets… was four Latin characters.

_I must have to spell the answer. _He thought. _Guess no hints on this one. _

Nate started thinking as fast as he could. He looked at what he interpreted as the easiest part, greater than god. That got him thinking, what was greater than god in Latin society?

_I would think nothing is greater than… wait a second that's it! _He thought. _The answer is nothing, or in Latin, nil! _

He quickly entered the appropriate characters, and with the final riddle solved the stone slid into place. But the water didn't drain from the room. He looked up, and saw that the room was now completely filled, and the gang was watching him and holding their breath from the elevated platform above. He was starting to find it extremely difficult to hold his breath.

He looked down and noticed stone had slid aside to reveal four more pressure plates, but there were no pictures. He guessed they all needed to be depressed for the door to open. He guessed it must be the rocks. He found it funny that anyone who did not get at least one of the answers wrong would have actually drowned to death.

He swam as fast as he could down, and he dragged rocks from the ceiling collapse over to the pressure plates. Just as he was going for the last rock, his vision started blurring and he started shaking all over as his lungs begged for air, which had not been sated for almost three minutes. Just as he was about to give up, Elena and Charlie suddenly swam up, and helped him push the rock onto the last pressure plate.

There was a slide of stone above as the door opened and water flooded into the next room. But Nate couldn't bare it anymore, and he opened his mouth to the water and fell unconscious. Elena and Charlie grabbed him and swam upward with his unconscious body. They finally lifted him up onto the elevated platform after taking huge breaths themselves.

The rest still breathing harshly gathered at his side.

"He isn't breathing." Harold said.

"Oh my god, Nate wake up!" Elena said fearfully.

"Stand back, I need to apply CPR." Harold said. He put his hands over Nate's chest and pushed down hard one time each second 15 times. Then he closed his nose with his fingers and opened Nate's mouth, administered a few breaths, and went back to pumping his chest.

He repeated the process several times, eventually starting to have tears pouring down his face himself.

"Kid… come on…" Sully whispered.

"Come on buddy… don't leave us now…" Charlie said. Chloe held Elena as she cried into the shoulder of her shirt.

"Nate… no…" Chloe whispered. Harold stopped and sat back.

"There's… nothing I can do… he's… he's gone." Harold said.

They were all silent for a moment.

"NO!" Elena shouted. She flipped around, got onto her knees, and she slapped Nate across the face hard. "NATE WAKE UP!"

Suddenly, he coughed water out of his mouth and turned sideways.

"It's a bloody miracle." Charlie said.

"Never underestimate the power of a woman over a man hun." Chloe said hugging him.

"Uh uhn…" Charlie said back shaking his head.

Nate started to sit up.

"Are you all…" He coughed. "…alright?"

"We're fine kid." Sully said getting on his knees and grasping Nate's shoulders. "You almost die for us and you wonder if we are alright? I'm more worried about you."

"I'm fine…" He said pushing Sully away. "Let's just keep going."

"The faster we're out of here the better." Harold said. "Are you going to be alright Nate?"

"I just said I was fine Dad." Nate replied annoyed.

"Hm…" Harold said nodding. They went into the next room.

They walked into a plain empty room just as tall as the last one. There was another elevated stone platform, but no ladder. He could see lots on wooden bridges and such above.

He walked forward to a lever in the back of the room and read the inscription on the floor.

"A iudicio per terram et experimentum quis tenaci. Quinque minutes a temporis trahere in vecte, terra sepelire te in eam scriptor tenaci." Nate said. "A trial by earth and a test of one's grip. Five minutes from the time you pull the lever, Earth will bury you in its grip."

"A test of one's grip hm?" Sully asked. "Looks like we're going to have to climb up, and if we don't reach the top in five minutes, the ceiling collapses on us."

"Correction Sully, I'm going to have to climb up." Nate said. "It said one's grip. See that lift up there?"

He pointed to the right of the elevated stone platform.

"It's probably guided by a pulley system. When I get up there, I'll lower it down to you guys and raise you all up." Nate said before coughing.

"Let someone else do it Nate, your hardly in the condition for-" Sully started.

"I'm fine Sully. We all know I'm the best climber here." Nate replied.

"You should listen to Sully Nate." Elena said.

"I'll be fine." He said again. He walked forward and pulled the lever. Instantly, a bunch of handholds sprung from the wall and the gate slammed behind them. He leaped forward, climbing upwards as fast as he could. He eventually had to go sideways over a ledge. He jumped to it and edged sideways.

"Watch it Nate!" Elena called to him from below. The ledge he was gripping started crumbling and he moved faster, when he reached the end, he leapt upwards just as the ledge collapsed from under him.

"That was close…" He whispered to himself. Suddenly, the ledge under his right hand collapsed and he barely managed to hold on.

"Be more careful mate." Charlie called up.

"Hurry up Nate! You have four minutes before we're pancakes." Harold called.

"I'm on it!" He called back. He edged along this one even faster, then leaping sideways over to the next ledge and using handholds to climb up. When he reached the top, he jumped left and grabbed firmly onto a rope and ran along the wall. He then jumped for one of the small wooden bridges and landed flawlessly.

It started to give the second his feet touched it, and he ran for it as it collapsed beneath him. He then jumped for another rope, grabbed onto it and swung and landed on the next wooden bridge. He sped to the left as this one collapsed under him to. He came to a part that had already fallen through except for a small space near the wall. He shimmied across the small space fast and ran and jumped to another wooden bridge as the place where he was standing collapsed.

He ran across this new bridge for a bit, then jumped up and grabbed some new handholds. He climbed upward and to the right for a bit, and then jumped over onto yet another wooden bridge.

"You've got two minutes left!" Harold called him.

He ran across it and grabbed hold of another rope. Instead of swinging on it, he climbed up to the top of it and reached upwards toward another set of handholds. He climbed up and to the left for a bit and set down on another wooden bridge. He was higher than the elevated platform now and across from it. A wire stretched across from the ceiling above him to the other side, which he recognized as a zipline.

"Thirty seconds!"

He pulled out his Beretta and rushed forwards, he jumped and gripped the Beretta with both hands over the Zipline and slid all the way down onto the elevated platform. He then rolled straight into the stone door.

"Ten seconds!"

He groaned, stood up, and looked around. He spotted two levers. He went and grabbed the left one, proceeding to pull it. The lift started descending, and he could hear and see the ceiling cracking.

"Five seconds!"

He ran for the new lever.

"Four!"

He grabbed it with both hands.

"Three!"

He tried to pull it but it was stuck.

"Two!"

It finally gave way and he pulled it.

"One!"

"I got it!" Nate shouted down.

"Good work chap!" Charlie called up.

"Thanks Charlie!" Nate called back. He looked down as they all crowded onto the lift, and he pulled the lever. As he did the next door slid open. They reached the top in a few seconds. Elena came to Nate's side as he sat against the wall breathing harshly.

"Are you alright Nate?" She asked.

"I'm alright Elena. Are you alright honey?" He asked.

"Perfectly fine." She replied. She helped him up and they proceeded into the next room. There was a long chasm similar to the fire room ahead of them. There was no light this time, and they lighted new torches as there old ones had gone out. There was another lever and another inscription.

"Aenean sit amet est. Praestare sine probare tua dignum." Harold read. "This is a test of Air. Perform without it to prove your worth."

"What does it mean "perform without it"? That's impossible." Nate said.

"Well, we'll have to see about that." Sully said.

"Everyone take a deep breath." Nate said. They complied and Nate pulled the lever. As usual, the door slammed shut behind them. He suddenly saw hidden vents emerging above them and felt the air being sucked out of the room. A thin beam suddenly lifted into place across the chasm.

Elena suddenly smiled and stepped forward. Sully went to stop her, but Nate stopped him with his outstretched arm, shaking his head.

She stepped onto the beam and suddenly started walking across it with unmatched grace. She was fast, and was almost halfway across before the beam started breaking apart under her. This time, Nate tried to rush forward.

"MMM!" He tried to say. This time, Sully stopped him with his outstretched arm and shook his head. Elena cartwheeled over to the other half as the first half fell into the abyss. She then easily crossed to the other side, and pulled the lever. Air suddenly rushed back into the room and they opened there mouths again for a deep breath. The door on the opposite end opened up.

"What the hell was that?" Sully asked.

"Elena used to be an Olympic gymnast before she went to college for journalism. She won a silver medal." Nate said.

"Wow, I never knew." Charlie said. "Incredibly sexy."

Chloe slapped him.

"Hm…" She said.

"Oh, sorry love, you're way sexier." Charlie said.

"Hey, that's my wife you're talking about!" Nate said.

"I'm just going to shut up now." He replied. A stone bridge raised into place of the fallen beam.

"Nice job Elena!" Nate said clapping joined by the rest of them. She bowed.

"So that was the four classical elements." Harold said. "This is the final trial; you have to be prepared for just about anything."

"He's right guys, check your guns. With our luck, it's some kind of ghost dog pack." Nate said checking his Beretta and the AK-47 on his back.

"I got 10 bucks it isn't ghost dogs." Charlie said.

"You're on." Nate said.

They all finished checking their guns and nodded at Nate. They then proceeded forward. It was a rather bright hall for a few steps, with torches lining the walls, but suddenly, the floor depressed under them, and the lights went out.

"Shit, what was that?" Sully asked.

"Elena and Sully, torches. The rest of you stay close to them." Nate said. They all quickly complied, getting into a tight formation around Elena and Sully who lit torches. Suddenly, there was howling in the distance before them. They stopped in their tracks scared half to death.

Suddenly, letters appeared in mid-air in a smoke like fashion.

"You've got to be shitting me." Sully said.

"That just is not possible." Charlie said.

"Temptationem spiritus tuus in ipsa natura positum. Deus, miserere animi." Nate read. "Your final test rests with the spirits of nature herself. God have mercy on your soul."

"Oh look, he's giving up on us already." Chloe said chuckling nervously. The smoke letters disappeared.

"You know… I saw in a TV show once that you can keep ghosts at bay with iron…" Charlie said.

"Well, let's hope our bullets are made of it." Nate replied. "Now let's move."

They walked forward as fast as they could. Howling again bounced across the walls. Charlie slapped down ten bucks in Nate's hand.

"I find your predictive abilities very disturbingly accurate son." Harold said.

"I just had to open my big mouth." Nate said. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out as Charlie shot into the dark. They all aimed their guns in that direction.

"There was something there, like a glowing dog of some sort. It just disappeared…" Charlie said.

He started whispering something under his breath to himself. Suddenly, there was a growling behind Nate. He flipped around and there was a roar as the glowing ghost dog charged at him and jumped at him. He fired two bullets right into its chest and it burst into smoke.

"Whatever the grail is, it must have paranormal abilities when you get this close." Harold said. Suddenly, there were roars and growls from all around them and a pack of ghost dogs burst out of absolutely nowhere.

"Shit, run!" Nate said. Putting bullets into any one of them he could see. They ran straight into the pack, keeping any they saw at bay. They cut through them, but as they kept running there was no end of the hall in sight and there seemed to be a limitless number of them.

"They're gaining on us!" Charlie yelled as he reloaded his Beretta.

"Run faster!" Nate yelled back.

"Aren't you supposed to exorcise ghosts?" Chloe shouted.

"Yea, but I don't have that whole part of the bible memorized!" Nate yelled.

"You could give it a try." Chloe yelled. Harold grabbed something from his bag and threw it to Nate. He caught a large silver cross.

"Who knows, that might help." Harold said.

"Thanks Dad…" Nate replied. Harold shrugged.

"Sacerdos ab Ordinario delegatus, rite confessus…" Nate began. The dogs suddenly stopped in their tracks howling in pain and the cross in his hand shined extremely brightly. Illuminating almost the entire hallway and showing they were far from their goal. "Go, this seems to be holding them at bay! Hopefully that lever at the end of the hallway opens the door!"

As he stopped the exorcism chanting, the dogs start to begin getting back up, so he continued.

"…aut saltem corde peccata sua detestans, peracto, si commode fieri possit, Sanctissimo Missæ sacrificio…" Nate continued. He was several lines in before they reached the end of the hallway. Harold spotted an inscription.

"Gratulatione, natura iudicavit te dignus transire per et petere grail. Lorem celare nemo umquam invenies illum." He read. "Congratulations, nature has judged you worthy to pass by and claim the grail. Please, hide it where no one will ever find it again."

"That's great." Charlie said. "Just open the damn door."

Sully complied by pulling the lever.

"Nate! Run for it!" Sully yelled after him. He turned and ran as fast as he could, keeping on reciting the exorcism. But about halfway back to the door, he couldn't remember anymore.

"Shit." Nate said. He ran as fast as he could as the dogs kept chasing after him. "Sully, go inside!"

Sully nodded and retreated through the door.

"Nate, they're gaining on you, run like your life depends on it!" Elena yelled.

"It does!" He shouted back. He reached the end of the hallway a few seconds later, he pushed in the lever and the door started to close. He quickly did a slide under the door just before it slammed shut. They were now in a dark hallway lit exclusively by Elena and Sully's torches.

Charlie helped him to his feet.

"Thanks…" He said.

"So… that's it?" Chloe asked. "I was expecting something with a little more flash."

"Well, it is what it is." Nate said. "Besides, the holy grail should be all the flash you need."

She shrugged as Nate took the lead down the hallway. They didn't walk for very long before reaching a wooden door. He tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge.

"It's… stuck…" He said pushing as hard as he could. Sully rolled up his sleeves.

"I've gotcha kid." Sully said. He added his pushing to it.

"It has a bit more give, but we need more force." Nate said.

"I'll help you with that." Harold said. He came and helped them out, and with a few heaves, the door flew open with sudden force. They were in the center of a dome shaped room. A pedestal stood in the center, and on top of it, was a shining cup with gold lining the base of the glass and a golden ring encircling the top.

"Oh my god, that's it… it's the Holy Grail…" Nate whispered to himself.

"I… can feel it in the air…" Harold said. "Like… something beyond understanding…"

"Look at all this writing…" Nate said. "It's in so many different languages."

"Here's Latin I presume?" Sully asked pointing at a spot on the floor.

"Look, French, Cuneiform, Sanskrit…" Harold said pointing.

"English, Egyptian Hieroglyphics, Chinese…" Nate continued. "All the same message."

"Well, spill it, what's it say?" Chloe asked.

"Yea, out with it already." Charlie said.

"The one who guided you here is a human summoned from death... Risen again in life…" Nate began. "He or she, whichever you saw, was there to seek you out for the grail sensed potential, and obviously confirmed, worth. You have fought through the toughest challenges possible to arrive here, standing at the base of the pedestal that holds upon it the Holy Grail.

"If you are truly worthy, you will find some place to hide it where no one will ever find it again. King Arthur."

"What does the grail do exactly?" Sully asked.

"Well, only one way to find out." Nate said. He stepped up to the pedestal, and he stepped forward until he was standing right before The Holy Grail. "Hey, there's something written in Latin at the base of the glass on the golden ring…"

"What?" Chloe asked.

"Grail devolvat in potentia, alterius sanguinem comedas ex eo. Imperium animi in te humanitatis." Nate said. He didn't repeat it in English; his face took on a horrified appearance.

"What does it say Nate?" Elena asked.

"It… it says..." Nate said. Then he looked at her. "To unleash the power of the grail, partake of the blood of another from it. You will have complete control over the minds of humanity."

"That's what the Grail does?" Harold asked. "That's exactly what the Templar's would want, power over everyone's mind? Madness."

"There's more." Nate said.

"What?" Sully asked.

"There are three pictures on the top ring. A cup, I'm assuming that's the grail, a box…" Nate replied.

"…the Ark of the Covenant…" Harold said.

"…and a staff." Nate finished. "Also, inscribed on the cup is a triangle. Three points, three pictures, three artifacts even if we don't know what the last is… a holy trinity."

"The power of three." Harold said. Nate looked around.

"Wow." Nate said astonished.

"What is it?" Chloe asked.

"I can see more now that I'm holding the grail." Nate said. Harold walked over to the entrance and looked down in like he'd heard something. Then he turned back to look at Nate.

"What does it say?" Elena asked.

"The truth lies within the Ark, which lies at his birthplace." Nate said.

"Who's birthplace?" Charlie asked.

"Well, considering we're dealing with Christian religion, I would suppose Bethlehem inside the Church of Nativity." Nate said.

"Now, that is quite enough." The voice emerged from the entrance to the place where the grail was.

"Nate…!" Harold said. They all flipped around, and they all saw the man who had shot Nate back in Ethiopia. He was pointing a silence pistol to the side of Harold's head.

"Jason Tepla, Grandmaster of the Templars." Nate said.

"Jason, I should've know that was you." Harold said.

"Shut up Harold." Jason said grinning at Nate. "Hello Bob, or should I say Nathan Drake? Oh, and there's old Marly, or should I say Charlie Cutter. Then we have Elena Drake, Chloe Frazer, and Victor "Goddamn" Sullivan."

"Someone's done their homework." Nate said as Jason stepped forward into the room with Harold. Two more men with silenced MP5 sub-machine guns walked in, covering everyone with their guns.

"I'm the leader of the most powerful organization in the world, I always do my homework." He said. "But, of course, this time you did it for me. You took care of all of the traps and even figured out where the real Ark is. Genius work."

"You son of a bitch." Elena said.

"Oh, someone has a naughty tongue, and naughty tongues must be silenced." Jason said. He pushed Harold down onto the ground and then walked over to Elena and slapped her across the face and she fell across the ground.

"Leave her alone!" Nate said almost rushing him. The men raised their guns at him and he was forced to remain still and grit his teeth.

"That is the proper place for a woman, groveling at my feet." Jason said. "Talk back to me again, and you will be in far worse condition."

She went to talk back anyways, but Nate shook his head at her and she remained silent.

"Now, give me the grail if you would be so kind Nathan." Jason said stepping up to him.

"Don't… do it Nate!" Harold said. This was a big mistake; Jason flipped around and put three bullets into him.

"DAD NO!" Nate yelled.

"I don't tolerate traitors." Jason said. Then he turned back to Nate. "Now give me the grail Nathan, or I will kill the rest of your friends one by one."

He handed the grail over.

"Don't you hurt them." Nate said.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Jason said. He turned around to his guards and nodded. "I must say this has been quite a pleasant encounter Nathan. I hope not to see you ever again."

One of them planted Dynamite on the ceiling of the entrance tunnel. Nate gritted his teeth, waiting for an opportunity. Jason turned back to him and waved. Suddenly, there was a gunshot and the man planting the Dynamite's head exploded. Suddenly, a swift form ran around the dead man and seized the second man with Jason hostage.

Nate could scarcely believe his eyes, it was Flynn. He circled around Jason until his back was to Nate, and Jason's was to the tunnel.

"Flynn?" Nate wondered. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Well, I saw these guys coming up the mountain. I knew they were after you, so I followed them. A few minutes after they got in, my headaches suddenly stopped… like whatever had been causing it had its attention elsewhere." Flynn replied. "Crazy huh?"

"It must've been the ghost dog attack." Sully said.

"Wow, no kidding." Nate said.

"Ghost what?" Flynn asked.

"Nothing." Elena said. "Just focus on what you're doing."

"Good point love." Flynn said. "Now, I would appreciate it if you put that gun and the uh… cup down."

Jason smiled, raised his gun and shot the man Flynn was holding hostage in the head. Still he held him up as a human shield.

"They are expendable. They are now with god." Jason said. "There mission is to serve me in helping become capable of serving him. Little do they know that my real plan is to become god."

"What the hell do you mean?" Nate asked.

"A simpleton like you would never understand." Jason replied.

"Fine, if I can't kill him…" Flynn said. He pointed his gun at Jason instead. "I'll kill you."

"Oh, I'll leave, but one moment." Jason said. He dipped the grail into the pool of blood gathering around Harold.

"What in the hell are you doing you sick bastard?" Flynn said.

"Shit, Flynn, shoot him before he drinks it!" Nate yelled.

Flynn pulled the trigger, and the gun jammed.

"Well isn't it my lucky day." Jason said grinning. Nate ran towards him.

"NO!" He shouted.

But Jason brought the cup to his lips, and downed the cup.

"Nathan, stop." He said.

Nate felt like tendrils were snaking into his mind, he stopped dead in his tracks without knowing why. He tried moving, but found that he could not.

"What…? What the hell?" Nate asked.

"Don't you remember?" Jason asked. "The grail gave me control of your mind. I have no need for this anymore."

He dropped the gun onto the floor. But he made sure to keep a very tight grip on the grail. Flynn pulled another pistol from the holster of the guard he was using as a human shield and dropped him, and took aim at Jason.

"Put down the gun Flynn." Jason said. There was a pause.

"No." Flynn said. He then pulled the trigger. Jason dodged out of the way in surprise and into the tunnel. He seemed to pull something out of his pocket, and it looked suspiciously like a detonator.

"Get away from the door!" Nate yelled. They all jumped away as Jason pressed the button, and the world erupted into flames and dirt.

Nate was up almost instantly after the explosion; he looked around and was sure everyone was alright, just groaning with ringing ears. He looked at the entrance, and saw that it had caved in, trapping them. But he barely cared; he sprinted over to the dirt covered form of his father, and flipped him over. He coughed, he was still alive.

"Dad, you're going to be alright." Nate said. "We'll find another way out of here and get you to a hospital."

"No… Nate…" Harold said. "That's not going to happen."

"Of course it is!" Nate said. Tears started coming from his eyes. "Don't you give up on me!"

"I'm sorry Nate… I was never there… when you needed me…" Harold said.

"I forgive you Dad, you're here now… now stay that way!" Nate said.

"I told you Nate, that isn't going to happen. He shot me in exactly the right places to guarantee I suffer a slow and painful death. We're miles from any hospital at the top of a mountain trapped in a cave that is likely to collapse at any second." Harold said. "I'm not getting out of this one…"

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… it was my job to protect you and I didn't." Nate said.

"No, it was my job to protect you, and I succeeded. If I hadn't been here, then Jason would've killed someone else for his sick sacrifice for the Grail." Harold said. "It could've been you, or it could've been Elena."

Nate nodded solemnly.

"You listen to me son…" Harold said. "You… you protect her with your life. For… without her, without the ones you love… life isn't worth living."

"I will Dad…"

"Heh… I know you will." Harold said coughing blood. "You… should know that he can only control peoples mind when he's touching the grail with his bare skin. No gloves, if anything comes between him and it, he can't use its ability."

Nate nodded.

"Can… can you tell Elena to come over here?" Harold asked.

"Of course." Nate said. He turned and signaled Elena to come over. She crawled through the dust cloud. She started crying once she saw Harold's dying body.

"Oh… my god Nate…" She said.

"Hey… don't worry about me…" Harold said. He stroked her hair lovingly. "Take… take good care of Nate… and while I won't ever be able to meet my Grandchildren personally… tell them… the good things about me…"

Elena nodded.

"I love you Nate… I love you to Elena…" Harold said.

"I love you to Dad…" Nate said. Elena nodded.

"Whether you like it or not… I've done some really bad things in my live; I've killed good people, all to protect you Nate. I was selfish, self-centered." Harold said. "But… it's good to know that what I sacrificed wasn't for nothing…"

Nate nodded.

"Now… I'm going to ask you something Nate. You need to do it." Harold said.

"Anything…" Nate replied.

"Kill me." Harold said.

"No!" Nate replied.

"You said anything Nate…"

"I know what I said, and the answer is still no Dad."

"I'm suffering Nate… please… please just end it…"

He grabbed for Nate's gun, raising it towards his face. He pulled his arm away. Suddenly, Nate felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked around and found Sully.

"Kid, there's no point in leaving him like this." Sully said. "I'll do it."

Sully looked over to Harold, and they exchanged a glance. Harold shook his head, and Sully nodded.

"Okay Nate." Sully said. He started to let him raise his gun, but out of nowhere, Sully grabbed the Berretta from his hand and shot Harold in the head.

"NO!" Nate said. "Sully, why did you do that?"

"You would've regretted it for the rest of your life Nate, I won't let you live like that." Sully said. He turned and walked away.

"It needed to be done Nate…" Elena said.

"I know…" He replied. "That's what makes it so bad."

* * *

><p><strong>There it is… A lot happened in this chapter. Some excellent action and platforming scenes (which I hope you enjoyed), some great comedy, some amazing reveals, the heroic return of Harry Flynn, and the heart wrenching death of Nate's father… at the hands of his father figure. I also hope you really loved the Jason Tepla moments, I happen to think he's probably the most chilling crazy ass every to grace the Uncharted universe (definitely more threatening then Lazaravic and Navarro, pfft)<br>**

**This is going to have some very interesting ramifications in future chapters. Not that I liked killing Harold… but it was just the best course of action for the story. **

**Remember to review.**


	12. Chapter 12: Galahad

**Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost**

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 2nd, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 12: Galahad<strong>

"_All-arm'd I ride, whate'er betide, until I find the holy Grail." _**–Alfred Tennyson**

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><p>Nate took one final look at the dead body of his father before him. He let the tears fall as he stared into his father's peaceful face, with eyes that stared into somewhere he could not see. He reached forward and pulled Harold's eyes closed; now it looked like he was sleeping.<p>

There was a slight scraping noise from the stone above and dirt and displaced rocks cascaded down around them.

"Nate, we have to get going." Elena said.

"She's right Nate; this place is going to come down any minute." Sully said.

"Does it really matter?" He replied. "What are we going to do now? That bastard has the grail, if we go after him, then he'll just kill us. Hell, he'll probably have us kill ourselves."

"Oh come on mate, this is not the time to lose faith." Flynn said. "You get yourself up, you dust yourself off, and you help find us a way out of here before we're all crushed in this godforsaken place."

"He's right Nate, you can't give up hope now." Chloe said. He knew they were right; he stood up and shook himself up. He couldn't pry his eyes from his father's body though.

"Well, like I said… Galahad's tomb may be up here." Nate replied. "There's no way there isn't a way out, this was intended to be a one-way trip from the beginning. There's probably an exit in there."

"But there are no other ways out of this room other than the way we came in." Sully said.

"I'm assuming it's hidden…" Nate said.

"But where?" Elena asked.

"Well, the message is all over the walls, so it has to be behind one of them. Galahad was from England, so probably behind the English message."

"It's over here." Chloe said next to a section of wall in the top left corner. Nate finally pried his eyes from Harold's body and walked over. "There doesn't seem to be anything particularly special about this one over the others. What are we looking for?"

"I think I have an idea." Nate said. He reached out, and he pushed down firmly on the "G" in grail. It depressed under his hand and stayed there.

"They're all buttons!" Chloe said.

"Yea, all we need to do is enter the password." Nate said. He found an "a" and pressed it down, and continued to press down until Galahad's name was spelled out. Suddenly, all of the letters popped out and there was a rumbling as the section of wall rolled back and to the side.

"Kid, have I ever told you you're a genius?" Sully asked.

"Don't even talk to me right now Sully." Nate replied.

"Kid…"

Nate didn't answer; instead he beckoned Elena over as he went for his father's body. Suddenly, everything started shaking and everyone fell to their feet. A few large rocks fell from the ceiling and a huge amount of dust.

"What the hell was that?" Charlie asked.

"When I opened the door, the vibrations must have destabilized the rock further." Nate replied. "Elena, will you help me with him?"

"Kid, you can't be serious." Sully said. "This place is going to come down any second, we have to move."

"I'm not leaving him." Nate said. "He deserves more than that."

"Kid!" Sully urged.

"I am not leaving him Sully!" Nate said.

"Nate, he's right. If we don't hurry, we'll die in here." Elena said.

"Elena, I am _not _leavinghim here to be buried in an unmarked grave." Nate said. "Now help me, or stay out of my way."

"Nate…" She said.

"Elena!" He shouted staring at her directly. She nodded and grabbed Harold's arms while Nate got his legs.

"Shit." Sully said. He came over and helped them lift him and carry him into the next room. As they entered the next room, everything shook and they dropped Harold onto the ground. Nate wasn't fully out of the room yet, and the rocks fell almost on top of him as the entire chamber where the Holy Grail had been stored caved-in.

He was cut and scraped in several places and was thrown back. Everyone got bathed in dirt so that they couldn't see. After several seconds of coughing and groans of pain from Nate, the dust cloud finally started to clear.

"Is everyone okay?" Sully asked.

"I think so." Chloe replied. Nate again groaned in pain through the dust cloud.

"Kid, are you alright?" Sully asked. He stood up and rushed to Nate's side.

"I… I think I broke a rib." Nate answered. Sully touched around his ribs and found a place that depressed a bit too far and caused him to scream in pain.

"You broke a rib alright." Sully replied. "We need to get you to a doctor."

"I'll be fine, just help me stand, my legs are fine." Nate said. Sully put his arms under Nate's shoulders and helped him sit up groaning in pain. He then shifted to Nate's right side and gave him a place to hold onto as they stood up. He started coughing and blood flew out.

"Are you mental?" Charlie asked Nate. "You almost got yourself killed!"

"I don't care what you say!" Nate replied. "There was no way I was just going to leave him there! He sacrificed himself to save all of us! Don't you understand that?"

"He understands it perfectly Nate, but I doubt he wanted you to jeopardize the very thing he was fighting for… you… by trying to protect his lifeless body!" Chloe said. Nate didn't respond.

"Look, this isn't the time for this." Elena said. "This room seems more stable than the last one, but we should still keep moving."

"She's right; we can argue right and wrong later." Sully said. "At the moment, we have more important things to do."

"Fine, where to next?" Chloe asked. They were standing in a rather dark hallway with a little light flooding in through a vent in the ceiling.

"Light a torch so we can see first of all." Nate answered. Sully handed Chloe his lighter and she grabbed a torch off the wall and lit it. The hallway was adorned with pictures cast in gold. "Wow."

"What is all of this?" Elena asked.

"Arthurian legend." Nate replied. "Look there, the battle of the two dragons. Over there, details of the quest of the Holy Grail."

"That's great and all, but as everyone has noted, we need to keep moving." Charlie said.

"Yea, history lessons later." Sully said. "Take the lead Chloe."

"Wait, who's going to get my Dad's body?" Nate asked.

"Are we really back to this again kid?" Sully asked. "This isn't the time."

"We are not leaving without him." Nate said.

"Shit, he's not going to back down." Sully said. "Charlie and Elena grab the body and follow behind us."

"Bollocks." Charlie said. But he complied and they proceeded down the hallway. They found another wooden door and Sully pushed the rotted thing open with some effort as Nate limped in front of Charlie and Elena, who were carrying Harold's body. Flynn stood at the back end of the line looking out of place. Chloe walked back and stood next to him and tried to help him walk, but he shoved her off.

She usually would've gotten angry at the rebuke, but she knew what he was going through and didn't make any attempts to scold him.

They emerged into a dusty chamber that looked like it hadn't been entered in centuries. The dust cloud from the disturbance of the door soon settled and they stepped inside. A coffin made of stone lay in the chambers center surrounded by four unlit golden handled torches, which Sully lighted. Charlie and Elena set down Harold's body on the ground.

"Sir Galahad I presume?" Sully said. Nate walked forward up to the coffin.

"Hm, probably." Nate replied. "I would clean off the top of this thing, but I'm having trouble moving."

Sully nodded and used his hands to wipe off the dust on the top of the coffin. He blew at anything he hadn't got on his hands. On top of the coffin was the painting of a Knight. Nate spotted an inscription.

"Put the torch over that inscription." Nate said. Sully again complied. "Here lies Sir Galahad, the true Warrior of God."

"True Warrior of God? Well, that is one helluva title." Flynn said.

"Well, according to Arthurian legend, Galahad was the only Knight pure enough to find the Grail, because he was chosen by God to find it. Some people even thought he was a reincarnation of Jesus as a Knight." Nate said.

"I see why he's called the true warrior of god then." Chloe said.

"What a bunch of claptrap." Charlie said. They all smirked in his direction. "What? Well, it is!"

"Does it matter? We need to find a way out of here." Elena said.

"She's right, everyone look around for another door or something." Nate said. As he examined the coffin with a closer eye, the rest of them spread out scanning the walls. After a few minutes of looking around, Sully found something.

"Hey, there's something here." Sully said. He dusted off the wall with his hand to reveal a large rectangular depression in the wall the size of a door.

"That looks like a door." Elena said. Sully pushed it with no avail.

"Nothing, come and help me." He said. Elena came and helped him push against the door, still nothing happened.

"Looks like that isn't how you have to open mate." Flynn said.

"Oh, and you have an idea?" Sully asked annoyed.

"Nope." Flynn said. Charlie walked over and examined the door himself.

"Hey, wait, what's that?" He asked. He brushed over a spot on the right side with his hand. Dust came off of it to reveal a keyhole.

"Damn, looks like we need a key." Sully said.

"Excellent deduction genius." Flynn said sarcastically.

"What, do you have a problem pretty boy?" Sully asked.

"You're the one with the problem!" Flynn replied.

"Will you two stop it?" Chloe asked. "This isn't the time!"

"Well, it's not my fault that he blames me for things I don't even remember doing in the first place!" Flynn said. "Even after I just saved his ass!"

"Who said we needed your help in the first place?" Sully asked.

"I said _enough_!" Chloe shouted. "We did need his help, and Flynn, you need to stop reacting so badly! You did what you did, whether or not you remember it. Everything we went through with you isn't going to disappear overnight!"

"Fine." Flynn said.

"Now, we need to find that key. Any ideas?" Chloe asked.

"Well, maybe they made this exit just in case Galahad had a second rising. Kind of like Jesus did in the Bible." Elena said. "So if the key is anywhere, it's probably inside of there with him."

"That's what I was thinking." Nate said. "Sully and Flynn, come over here and pop the top off this thing."

"Eh, so here we go with Lancelot again." Sully said.

"Not exactly, he was Lancelot's son though." Nate replied.

"Still a wise-ass kid." Sully said.

"I thought I made it pretty clear that we are not okay… Victor." Nate said.

"Fine then… Nathan." Sully said. He angrily walked over to the side of the coffin next to Nate while Flynn took up a position on the other side. They pushed hard, and the stone slab slid off of the coffin and broke into pieces on the floor.

"Sorry about that buddy." Sully said as he pulled the keys out of the hands of the skeleton they found. He looked over to Charlie who was still standing next to the door. "Hey catch."

He tossed the keys at him and Charlie caught them. He then put the key into the keyhole, turned it until it clicked, and stepped back as the room rocked and the door slid upward. It exposed a tunnel very similar to the one they had entered the mountain through.

"Charlie, take my Dad and send him down first." Nate said. "I'll go through last, if I just go with my rib like this with no one to stop me from tumbling out across whatever's at the bottom, it'll just make it worse."

Charlie complied, dragging Harold's body over to the slide and sending it down feet-first. The rest of the gang followed one by one until only Nate was left in the room. Without looking back, he climbed into the slide and started downward.

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><p><strong>Just a rather insignificant chapter. Although it did register some significant tension between Nate and Sully. More stuff will happen in the next one, promise! <strong>


	13. Chapter 13: Aftermath

**Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost**

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 4th, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 13: Aftermath<strong>

"_It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was."_ **–Anne Sexton**

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><p>The tunnel was long and dark as Nate slid along it with pain coursing across his broken rib. He eventually put the pain out of his mind and took the time as he slid to consolidate his thoughts and to think of the events that had occurred… and to try and remember the past, to remember his childhood. But no matter what he did, when he thought back and tried to remember his father as he had been, he only saw Sully's face.<p>

After some effort, he managed to remember something. He rushed forward as a small child, and jumped into his then young father's arms laughing with joy and love. Once he had it, he would not let it go. He would keep that memory with him.

He would do so because it didn't matter what his father had done for the rest of his live. The fact that he had loved Nate, and that he did whatever he did to protect him was all that mattered. No matter what he had done, Nate would remember the good things about him. It wasn't about who his father was; it was about who Nate remembered he was.

After all of the events recently, and after witnessing the power of the Holy Grail, Nate felt oddly spiritual. He had found in the short amount of time he had spent with his father that Harold had actually been a devoted Christian. He had told Nate this during the ride to the Airport.

Nathan had replied by telling him that he didn't believe in that stuff and Harold had accepted that. But knowing that his father had believed in God, and knowing that he had died to protect Nate and his friends, he couldn't help but respecting those believes and praying. It was something he hadn't done since he had left the orphanage.

But all the same, he prayed. He prayed to God for him to deliver his father to safety, wherever he was, and to tell him that his son loved him to, even if he had only known him for a short time.

Eventually, the tunnel started to even out. He started sliding across flat ground and his pace began to slow. Nate saw a light in the distance suddenly, and as he approached he raised his hand to block out the light as his eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness.

Then, he flew out of the tunnel and slammed into the arms of Charlie, who fell backwards with the force Nate had transferred to him. Sully grabbed him and managed to stop him from falling. But as Charlie tried to maintain a grip on Nate, he touched the broken rib causing him to cry out in pain. This surprised Charlie and he lost his grip causing Nate to fall to the ground and again scream in pain.

"Shit, are you alright mate?" Charlie asked.

"No thanks to you!" Nate said.

"Sorry." Charlie said scratching his head.

"Just help me up." He replied, and Charlie helped him back to his feet while Nate groaned. Elena came over and let him lean on her for support.

"Are you alright honey?" She asked.

"I'll be fine for now." Nate replied. "It hurts like a son of a bitch."

"They tend to do that." Sully said. Nate didn't even look up to acknowledge his comment. Sully grunted as he realized that he was going to ignore him.

"Where _are _we?" Chloe asked.

"Looks like that slide took us back to the base of the mountain." Flynn said looking up.

"Good, then that should mean the truck is somewhere close by." Nate said.

"Those trees over there look familiar." Sully said. "I think I know the way back to the truck."

"Hey Flynn, will you please tell _Victor_..." Nate let the word hang in the air for a bit. "…to lead the way already?"

"What…?" Flynn asked.

"Just follow me…" Sully said. Flynn and Chloe grabbed Harold's body and followed as he walked over to the tree line and led them away from where they had come out. Sooner than later, they reached the truck. Then, Nate's vision started blurring and he started leaning on Elena very heavily. His breathing started to get shallow.

"Nate, what's wrong?" Elena asked worriedly stopping in her tracks.

"Can… barely... _breath_!" Nate said gasping out the last word.

"Sully, something's wrong with Nate!" Elena said. He looked back.

"Shit, the broken rib must have punctured one of his lungs." He said. Nate coughed up more blood.

"Did… did you learn about that in the navy Sully…?" Nate asked. His eyes swinging out of focus.

"Yes I did kid…" Sully replied. "The lack of oxygen to his brain is making him delirious. Put him in the back seat of the truck. You can put Harold on the floor below him. Chloe and Flynn… get into the trunk and throw out all of the guns and ammo we left back there plus whatever other shit Captain Rogers left there. Elena you stay next to Nate, Chloe you drive while I jump in the passenger seat. Flynn and Charlie, you two are going to have to sit in the trunk."

They all looked at him for a second.

"What are you all waiting for? Get moving!" He shouted. They all started moving. Elena half-guided half-dragged Nate to the back door and threw it open. She then gently laid Nate down on the back seat then wrapped the center seatbelt around his waist and clicked it in. She then lifted up his head and laid it across her lap before buckling herself in.

Chloe and Flynn quickly loaded Harold's body onto the floor in front of Nate and then went to the back trunk and threw everything they could find onto the ground with Charlie's assistance. After they were done, Flynn and Charlie jumped in and closed the trunk in front of them as Chloe hopped into the driver's seat and started the car with Sully jumping into the passenger beside her.

"You're going to need to step on it." Sully said. "He's going to need to get a medevac from the SAS base; no backwoods hospital is going to be able to repair the damage to his internal organs."

"That's what I do best, you better buckle up, 'cause this is going to be one rough ride." Chloe replied buckling herself in. Sully did the same. "Hold onto your balls everyone."

On that note, Chloe slammed her foot down on the gas and flew forward. They were back onto the road in seconds and speeding along at 100 miles per hour. Sully leaned back and grabbed Harold's cellphone out of his jacket. He found Captain Rogers on speed-dial and hit the button.

"Elena… Marlowe has Sully… can't wait… need to go to Airport… Cargo Plane…" Nate whispered.

"Nate, Sully is right here. He's fine." Elena replied fearfully.

"No… NO! They have Sully! He knows where the city is!" Nate said. He tried struggling but Elena held him still.

"Calm down Nate! That was over 3 months ago! Marlowe is dead, Sully is safe!" Elena said. "Now stop moving or you're going to make your wound worse."

The phone rang a few times before Captain Rogers picked up the phone.

"Hey Harold, what's-" Captain Rogers said.

"Captain Rogers. I need you to get a priority Medevac to the SAS base as soon as possible!" Sully said.

"What? Why? Who's hurt?" Rogers asked.

"It's Nate, he broke his rib and it punctured one of his lungs." Sully said.

"Why isn't Harold making this call?" Rogers asked.

"He's dead!" Sully said.

"Wh-what?" Rogers asked.

"This isn't the time, get me that Medevac now!"

"I… I'm on it." Rogers replied hanging up.

Chloe started entering traffic which swung to avoid her as she rampaged around the road.

"Get out of the way you morons!" Chloe shouted beeping the horn.

"Chloe!" Nate yelled.

"What is it love?" She asked.

"Chloe and Charlie…! They were captured in Serbia! We have to go and get them!"

"I'm right here love, hold on!" Chloe said swinging past a care. "Watch it!"

"We have to get Jeff out of here!" Nate yelled.

"Nate, Jeff's dead! He died a long time ago!" Elena said tearing up.

"Elena! She got hurt with the grenade! We have to get her out of here!" Nate yelled. Elena went into full on tears now.

"Nate, I'm here… I'm fine…" Elena said.

"Sully… he survived… He wouldn't betray us like that!" Nate went silent for a moment. "See! The journal saved him from the bullet! Navarro, I'll kill you!"

Suddenly he started shaking in Elena's arms and sweating profusely.

"Sully!" Elena said. "Something's happening!"

Sully flipped around to look.

"Shit, he's having a seizure!" Sully said. "Hold him still; he'll worsen any internal damage like that!"

Elena did as Sully asked, holding Nate as tightly as she could.

"Chloe, get us there _now_!" Sully said.

"You've got it boss." Chloe said. She really put her foot down; they went from 100 to 140, speeding along the road at far beyond the speed limit. She was good though, and handled the car like a professional race car driver. She was avoiding traffic on a whim with only minor slowdowns.

She took the long way around the town, as it would just take longer with the reduction in speed she would need. As she turned yet again onto another road, Nate stopped shaking.

"Okay, it's stopped. He's unconscious though, and he's sweating really badly." Elena said.

A few minutes later, the Airfield finally emerged in the distance. A red and white helicopter was touching down on the runway not far away. Chloe raced up and stopped with a screeching slide which left skid marks on the runway. Captain Rogers ran for the truck and flung open the back door.

He then saw Harold's body.

"Oh my god." He said.

"This isn't the time to freeze up, just get those medics to get Nate now." Sully said. Captain Rogers nodded and ran for the chopper as it touched down, as they did, Paramedics jumped down and he directed them towards the truck as Elena undid Nate's belt buckle. They grabbed a stretcher and started to run over.

Their gaze passed over Harold's dead body and they found Nate alive.

"Miss, we'll need your help to get him onto the stretcher. Lift his head and I'll get his legs." One Paramedic told her in a British accent. Elena nodded and grabbed Nate's head and lifted it up as the Paramedic grabbed his legs. They both lifted him up and out of the van, with Elena jumping to the blacktop with some difficulty. They then set him onto the stretcher and the Paramedics lifted him up, she followed them as they brought him back to the chopper.

"Sorry miss, one family member only." He said.

"I'm his wife." She said. "My name is Elena Drake. He's Nathan."

"Alright Missus Drake, climb in behind us." The Paramedic said. Captain Rogers came rushing up.

"I'm coming to." Rogers said.

"Only one person can come sir, its protocol."

"I'm the SAS Officer that called you here." Captain Rogers said. "Everything about this case is classified, no patient records will be made, and you are letting me come with you and my Godson to make sure nothing happens to him."

"How do I know who you say you are?"

He flashed a badge.

"On that note, get on board sir."

Tom Rogers climbed in and sat in the seat opposite Elena.

"I told the others where we're going." Rogers told her. "They'll fly over to a classified airstrip in London in Sullivan's plane and be escorted to the hospital by SAS operatives."

"But what about the Temp-" Elena started.

"Their existence is classified remember. Not around them." Rogers said.

"Okay, what about them? Can't they track us down? Find out where we're bringing Nate?"

"That's why I'm handling this very sensitively; I am only going through my most trusted middle-men and contacts to make this happen. Everything to do with this operation is heavily classified, be assured… they won't be able to find us. They'll still think that you are…" He glanced at one of the Paramedics. "…_indisposed._"

Elena nodded as the Paramedics hooked up heart monitors to Nate.

"Hey, he's not breathing." The second Paramedic, a woman in her mid-20s, said. The heart monitors starting ejecting a long beeping sound and a straight line crossing the heart monitor as soon as they started up.

"He's in V-Fib, get the Defibrillator."

She grabbed two metal paddles with plastic handles from not far away as the first Paramedic tore open Nate's shirt and started applying gel.

"What's going on?" Elena asked worriedly.

"He's in cardiac arrest." He replied. "Not now Missus Drake, I need to concentrate if I am going to save your husband."

Here tears continued but she tried to remain silent to make sure they could work.

"Charging to 100." The second Paramedic said as she put the two paddles against his chest. "Clear."

She pressed down the two buttons on the Defibrillator and Nate's body jumped as an electric shock surged through his body. She then proceeded to rub the two paddles together and adjust a dial on the machine.

"Nothing." The first Paramedic said. "Again, this time charge to 200."

"Charging to 200." She replied again sticking the paddles to his chest. "Clear."

Nate jumped again, and beeps started issuing from the heart monitor again.

"Normal cardiac rhythm restored." The Paramedic said.

"Oh thank god…" Elena said letting out a pent up breath.

"Don't worry hun, these are good people. They're very good at their jobs; they'll take care of him." Rogers said. "Besides, he's a tough a lad. He'll be fine, I'm telling you."

"Thank you… Captain Rogers…" Elena replied.

"Call me Tom." He said.

"Okay Tom." Elena said.

"It's alright to be stressed considering what just happened. Don't keep it pent up; it'll only make it worse." He said. Elena grinned.

"You sound like a therapist." She replied.

"I guess I do, don't I?" He said giving her a weak warm smile.

"Are… you alright?" Elena asked.

"Harold, he's really dead…" Tom said with a tear coming from one of his eyes. "He… was all that I had left of the life before returning to Britain. Sure, I have other American friends, but he really was the only one I stayed in contact with. The only one Lucy also had a close friendship with."

"So, according to the story you told Nate, you moved to America, and you said your British…"

"Yes, I actually met Lucy through an online dating site believe it or not." Tom said. "Most people don't think those things work, but they actually work pretty well."

"Was she CIA like Harold?" Elena asked.

"Yes, and so was I for a time. I had transferred over to America to be with Lucy and I decided to share her job to." Tom said. "When I moved back, I rejoined the SAS."

"They let you switch the country you serve around like that?"

"Yes actually, but with some terms. Like that I never participate in operations that would hurt the interest of either country and I do not exchange classified information between the two unless it would help both."

"…and they completely trust that?"

"I can see how you wouldn't believe me, but it's true." Tom said. Elena nodded. "Now, could you please tell me what happened down there? Leave out the classified information though. You can call the you-know-what the HG. Just call the other one the Ark, if that has anything to do with it."

She told him what had happened, sometimes improvising to hide locations and specific happenings. When she told him about Harold's death at the hands of Jason, he seemed to get really angry.

"That… rat bastard…" He said. Elena continued until finally she got back to the point where they were in the truck. "So Jason has it huh?"

"Unfortunately." Elena said. "But at least we know where he's going next, Bethlehem, The Church of Nativity."

"Hm…" Tom said.

"But… I and Nate can't go with him like this."

"Don't worry about that. Jason is going to need to grease a few palms to empty the church and get equipment over into Bethlehem. That should take him at least a month to do, and Nate should be back on his feet by then." Tom said.

"Heh…" Elena said. "Well, maybe I did just want an excuse to get out of all of this."

"I would understand if you did."

"But… I couldn't leave Nate. He needs me, even if he doesn't like to admit it. Of course he won't give up; he thinks it's his duty."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, the only reason we've gotten this far is because of him." Tom said.

"Oh? Does that really matter? Jason has the HG, we failed. How are we going to get to the true Ark before Jason does if he can just take control of our minds?" Elena asked.

"According to the research Harold…" He stopped here for a moment. "…did on the historical records and the findings of _them… _that thing only works if the target is within Eyesight. In order to maintain control once it's exercised its ability on a target, the person has to stay within a hundred yards for it to work. Although, there have been certain people whose minds have been completely destroyed into servitude by the HG."

"So? What does all that mean?" Elena asked.

"We can set up a sniping position somewhere." Jason said. "As long as we stay far away from him, he won't be able to take control of us unless he looks directly at us. If we make the shot before he expects it, we can take him down before he has the chance to do anything."

"Well, let's just hope it's that easy." She said.

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><p><strong>12 hours later<strong>

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><p>Nate slowly awoke, blinking as the light hit his eyes from above. He groaned in pain as his right side surged with it. Although, it did feel significantly dulled.<p>

"Nate?" Elena asked.

He tried to sit up to find that it hurt too much to do so. Suddenly, the bed shifted under him and lifted his head up a bit. He looked around and saw Elena.

"Elena?" Nate asked.

"Oh thank god you're alright…" She said. She kissed him on the lips as she teared up.

"What… happened?"

"Well, your broken rib also punctured and then collapsed one of your lungs. Fragments of the bone also cut up a few of your blood vessels and caused internal bleeding. We're in a hospital in London; you were in the OR for hours. You only got out a little while ago." She said.

"Is… everyone else alright?" He asked.

"Yea, they're just outside the door. They decided to give us some time alone." She said. "But don't expect to be getting any; you're still hurt pretty bad."

"I wouldn't dream of it…" Nate said then grinned. "…or rather I will dream of it."

"Oh, I bet you will." She said grinning.

"I'm… I'm sorry I got hurt again like this." Nate said. "I… couldn't just leave him there."

"I know." She replied grabbing his hand. She squeezed it, and he squeezed back. "I'm sure you're not trying to get yourself hurt on purpose."

"Heh, you would be surprised."

"I'm sure I would… not."

They both laughed, although Nate a bit weakly.

"You can… let everyone else in now."

Elena nodded and went over to the door and pulled it open. Suddenly, everyone else walked into the room. Although Flynn was in the back and Tom was nowhere to be seen.

"Your Godfather is tidying up, making sure there is no record of your stay here." Elena said. "I'm sure he'll be here soon."

They all pulled up chairs next to Nate's bed.

"Hey kid, are you doing alright?" Sully asked.

"I may be a bit delirious due to morphine, and you may have been part of saving my life, but that does not mean we're talking again." Nate said. Sully grumbled in response.

"But… are you doing alright mate?" Charlie asked.

"Yea big guy, I'm doing okay. Hopefully, I'll be back on my feet in no time." Nate said.

"The doctor said you're going to need a few weeks of rest before you'll be back to normal." Elena said.

"A few weeks? But what about Jason and the Grail? We can't let him get the Ark." Nate said.

"Tom told me it's going to take him at least a month to do that, you should be alright by then." Elena replied.

"Tom?" Nate asked.

"That's your Godfathers first name."

"Oh."

"You recover quickly love, we wouldn't imagine going on an adventure without you." Chloe said.

"Don't forget me." Flynn said.

"Do you honestly think you're coming along?" Elena asked.

"Look, I saved all of your necks. I think I deserve a little respect." Flynn replied.

"He's right…" Nate said. "Besides, if he's with us, he can't betray us for the other side like last time."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Flynn said sarcastically. Nate laughed in response.

"We're all pulling for you mate." Charlie said.

"Thanks guys." Nate said. The door opened and Tom walked in.

"Okay, looks like we're going to be alright here." Tom said. "How are you doing son?"

"I'm feeling a little broken, but other than that I'm alright. Thanks Cap." Nate said.

"Call me Tom." He said. "Look, I'm going to be joining your little group here. Not bringing any SAS buddies along, just me."

"Are you sure?" Nate asked.

"Yea and you get the less-than-official backing of a UK operation." Tom said. "I also have contacts and such all over the world to help us out when we need it. So can I come?"

"Of course you can Tom." Nate said. "We're lucky to have you."

"Thanks." Tom said. "Now, we should leave you alone so you can get some rest. Come on everybody."

Everyone got up and went for the door except Sully.

"I'll be right behind you, there's something I have to talk with Nate about." He said. Tom nodded and everyone left. Nate didn't look up at him or acknowledge his presence in any way.

"Look Nate, I know you're angry about what I did." Sully said. "But kid, that just isn't fair. Your Dad was suffering, you got to talk to him in his last minutes, in essence say your goodbyes… not everyone gets that you know. I saw that you were going to try and do it yourself after thinking about what he had asked. But, I couldn't let you do that. I couldn't let you regret killing your father for your entire life. So, no matter what happens or how you feel about me for the rest of your and my life, I would never take back what I did. Ever."

Nate didn't reply.

"But no matter what happens kid, I love you. I took care of you when you were growing up, even if it was in a roundabout manner. Sure, I almost got you killed… a lot." He chuckled. "But the fact is that you stand here, alive and who you are today is because of what I did for you. Yes, your father made up for abandoning you and everything else in his final days. But that in no way erases everything I did. I was your father…"

Nate turned his head away to hide that he was crying.

"So, maybe you'll forgive me, and maybe you won't. I… just didn't want you to forget what I did for you kid. I love you. Even if that is a bit corny. But… um… you should get a good night's sleep, okay? I'll… I'll see you tomorrow."

He stood up and started to walk for the door.

"Sully…" Nate said. He turned around to look at Nate. "I'm sorry."

Sully nodded and then went through the door closing it behind him.

* * *

><p><strong>One Month Later<strong>

* * *

><p>They walked through the London Airport, slipped through the crowds but staying together. Quickly, they made it to the checkpoint. Tom went to the woman who was manning the scanners for the cargo.<p>

"Miss, look at this please." He said. He handed her a slip of paper.

"Oh, Captain Rogers." She said.

"There is a Sniper Rifle and few guns in the briefcases I'm about to send through." He whispered. "Ignore that and process it just like it was normal cargo."

"Of course sir." She replied. "Go on through."

Nate was walking slowly behind the rest of them with Sully.

"Geez, I wish they wouldn't walk so far. I'm getting to old for this." He said.

"Like we haven't heard that before Sully." He said.

"I'm just happy we got that mess sorted out." Sully said referring to the tension between them.

"It wasn't your fault, I should've realized that. When people are angry, they can forget what's important." Nate replied. "Thanks for coming to the funeral with me."

"Everyone came Nate." Sully said. "I didn't do anything special."

"It was pretty special to me." Nate said. "Now come on, we have a plane to catch old man."

Sully grinned.

"Right behind you kid."

* * *

><p><strong>Phew, done. Sorry about this being more filler, I'm such a liar *sadface*. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Now I am serious that the next chapter is going to have action, so I hope you can't wait. Happy Independence Day everyone. Remember to review! In the words of Sully, I be go to hell. Or Chloe, hold onto your balls everyone! Hahahaha<strong>


	14. Chapter 14: Overlook

**Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost**

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 4th, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: Overlook<strong>

_"Peek-a-boo, I see you. You can't see me, but I see you and my spotter can too. I pull the trigger, the bullet flies. Commies watch as one of their own dies."_ **–Unknown**

* * *

><p>The lowering sun glinted off of Tom's sniper scope as he used it to gaze down upon the Church of Nativity with his suppressed rifle. Nate looked about using his spotter's scope.<p>

"Are you absolutely sure no one is going to see us up here?" Nate asked.

"I'm sure." Tom said simply.

"But how can you be so sure…?" He replied.

"We're on the side of this building that is off the road, it is one of the tallest buildings in Bethlehem. No one is going to be looking up here, and even if they did, what would they make of a pole sticking out over the ground?" Tom said. "It's also the perfect shooting position; I have eyes on every single courtyard there as well as a majority of the entry points. If we need to make a quick escape, there are multiple routes."

"Wow, you know a lot about this stuff." Nate said raising an eyebrow.

"I'm a Captain for the SAS; did you think I got there without a few skills?"

"I suppose not. Anyways, shouldn't he be here by now? We've been waiting for hours."

Tom lifted his eye off of his scope and hit a few keys on the keyboard of the laptop next to him.

"Tracking information reports he's getting close. Traffic reports indicate he's having trouble of it." Tom said. "Patience is key Nathan; you just have to wait for the right moment to strike."

"Gotcha." Nate said.

* * *

><p><strong>3 Weeks Earlier<strong>

* * *

><p>Nate slowly limped into the funeral home on his crutches. The doctors had not wanted him to come, said he needed to rest for at least another week. But he refused. He needed to see it, his father being put to rest. He wouldn't let his stupid injury stop him from doing that.<p>

He slowly walked to the front. The service was small, only Nate's friends and Tom along with a few friends Tom had invited. The Priest presenting was also a good friend of Tom's, and oddly, a ex-SAS operative.

Tom was the first on the platform to give out the Eulogy.

"Hello, my name is Tom Rogers. But you of course all know about that… but that's one of the things about Harold, he liked to keep it official… for everything to be in its proper place. It was the thing that made him a good CIA agent and a too good assassin afterwards. But, that of course wasn't his fault.

"Me, I wish he had been able to spend more time with his son. To not have had to hand him over to others to take care of for him while he was off, being forced to do evil in the name of God. Well, I for one know God would not want that. But I suppose he works in funny ways. He did help me stop him from killing a lot of them.

"I think Harold would just like to be remembered for how he tried. He tried to resist the Templars, he failed at it, but the trying means something. Besides, his true objective was protecting his son, and in that he succeeded. That is what he will be remembered for, in my heart, and I hope yours to."

They clapped as he stepped off the platform.

After that it seemed to fly by to him… other people offering condolences and words. It was as if his life had been put on fast forward for the funeral… until it came his turn to speak and offer his condolences, and everything seemed to slow down a bit.

The sound of his own footsteps seemed to echo through his skull as he slowly walked down the aisle. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as he looked around and the solemn faces of the other attendees. But he still eventually reached the platform and reached out for the microphone.

"I never really knew my father…" Nate had said. "…but I know that everything he did in life was for me. To protect me. I want to repay him for that, and it's what I'm going to do. No matter what it takes. I won't let the sacrifices he made be for nothing, nor the ultimate sacrifice he made to prevent my death and the death of my friends and family.

"So even if I did not know him very well or for very long, I understand his actions and why he did them. It's why I love him. It's not about whom he was when he died; it's about whom I remember him to be. I remember him as a kind and loving father who sacrificed everything for his son. That's the way it will stay. I hope he finds peace wherever he is."

It again flew by after he stepped off the platform. They loaded the coffin containing his father into a plane to be sent back to America, where he would be buried alongside Nate's mother. He at that moment made a commitment to go to those graves one day, the location of which had been revealed to him by Tom.

His friends offered their condolences, Sully hugged him and gave him words of encouragement saying that no matter what happened, he would be there. Elena comforted him as only she could, and Tom began plotting their mission to Bethlehem.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

* * *

><p>"Wait a second, isn't that the limousine convoy?" Nate said looking through his spotter scope onto the road far below as they approached the church. Tom adjusted his view and scooted his bipod to the left. He read the license plates through the scope and checked the computer.<p>

"That's it; my sources weren't able to dig up which car he's in though. Look out for him." Tom said. "Need a picture?"

"I'd never forget that face." Nate said.

"I didn't think so." Tom replied.

The limos pulled to a stop in front of the door. A few civilians were at the door wondering why they couldn't get in, and how the Church of Nativity could possibly be closed.

"Why would they only close it by the front door?" Nate asked. "It seems like they'd want a wider perimeter then that."

"I agree, that doesn't make sense. Jason doesn't make mistakes like this." Tom answered.

People started leaving the cars.

"Possible ID on Jason Tepla, 732 Yards limo 2." Nate said. Tom adjusted his Sniper Scope.

"The hair looks right, but I need to see his face." Tom replied. A few seconds later, the man looked around.

"No, that's not him; his face is devoid of Jason's injury." Nate said. "Wait a second there!"

"Where?" Tom asked.

"Second to last limo, bottom right, 657 yards." Nate said. "Positive ID, I guarantee it. The Grail is hanging from his neck and I have a clear view of his facial injuries."

"Target acquired." Tom said. "What's the wind looking like?"

"It's holding steady at 5 Miles per Hour West." Nate said. "Looks like wind won't be a huge factor, Gravity and the Coriolis Effect will be pretty major at this distance though."

"I don't have a clear shot; he's got henchmen behind him."

"Center on the Church Door, that'll be the best place to make your move. You'll have to shoot past the civilians though, so be careful."

"Hm, I don't know, that seems pretty risky." Tom replied.

"Well you won't be able to hit him on the incline up to the church, he's moving too much. It's a solid 860 yards to the door and a straight shot. It's the best chance you have of hitting him. If you miss, he could just look over here and use the Grail on us." Nate said. "Besides, he'll probably clear those civvies out."

"I won't miss."

Tom centered his scope over the church door. They waited a few minutes as Jason went up to the church. When he was there, Tom prepared to take the shot.

"He's at 855 yards, winds holding at 4 MPH." Nate said. "Civilians are pretty much out of the way, do it now."

Tom prepped the shot, and was about to pull the trigger when Jason suddenly flipped around and grabbed a woman from the crowd. He then pressed a gun to her head and grinned right in their direction.

"Oh shit." Tom said. "He knows we're here."

Suddenly Jason's voice seemed to be all around them.

"Of course I know you're here." Jason said. "Did you really think I wouldn't go to your contacts and use the Grail on them just in-case you managed to survive? I think you should be dead this time though."

Suddenly, beeping emanated from the four corners of the roof they were on. Nate looked around and spotted packets of C4 strapped to the corners.

"Shit, Tom, we have to run, now!" Nate yelled. Tom jumped up and turned around. Suddenly, the stairway entrance exploded.

"Now what?" Tom asked.

"We have to jump to the next building over!" Nate yelled. He ran to the side of the building and looked down. As he did this, Tom ran past him and leaped across the gap without hesitation. Nate backed up, counted to three and ran before jumping. He was screaming, looking down as he flew over the gap. He wasn't even getting close and he was about to fall to the streets below. He screamed just as the roof behind him exploded, throwing him forward.

Tom flipped around as he landed on the other building and reached out. Nate grabbed his hand and Tom pulled him up. They then looked around to see four more packets of C4 strapped to this building.

"Oh crap." Nate said.

"Run!" Tom yelled. They ran, over and then jumped to the next rooftop just as the one behind them exploded. Suddenly, there was the sound of helicopter blades and an Apache Blackhawk flew up in front of them.

"Shit, it's a Blackhawk." Tom yelled. "Get into the stairway!"

They ran as the helicopter swerved to expose its side and a gunner manning a huge chaingun. He spun it up, and it started spewing bullets in front of Nate. The bullets tore through the stairwell.

"Shit, now what?" Nate asked.

"I don't know!" Tom yelled. Nate looked around and quickly spotted two lines probably attached to a window washing platform.

"Follow me!" He yelled. As the gun swerved toward them, they ran for their lives and jumped out and each grabbed a separate cable. The bullets almost hit them, but they lifted up their legs and bullets just missed hitting the wires and sending them downward. They started sliding down slowly as the helicopter came around for another pass.

It started firing again and tearing through the windows and walls behind them.

"What are they doing?" Tom yelled. "There are civilians back there!"

"I don't think they care Tom!" Nate yelled. As the gun swerved in their direction, they slid downward fast, but this time, the bullets from the helicopters gun hit the wires and almost cut them.

"Can't stay here anymore!" Tom yelled. Nate swung the platform and flew through and smashed the window in front of him and rolled into a wall. Tom followed him through another window as the helicopter came around again. It saw them on their floor and started emptying the chaingun in a flyby.

"Shit! Run!" Nate yelled. He pulled a pistol from his holster as the windows behind them were torn to shreds. He tried shooting back at the helicopter but it didn't do anything. As the bullets kept landing closer and closer to them, he aimed forward and put bullets through the window in front of them.

He then smashed through it in a mad jump with Tom following him. They fell two stories and then smashed through a window on the next building over and rolled onto the floor. Tom and Nate groaned as they stood up.

"I… I think we lost them…" Nate said.

"For how long though?" Tom asked.

"No idea." He replied. "We need to get out of here."

"Agreed…" Tom replied. "I still can't believe they are doing this in a civilian area. There are people around to! If they were going to do this, they could've at least made everyone leave! Now there are probably a ton of people dead or injured in their offices."

"Speaking of, where is everyone? Looks deserted in here." Nate said.

"Their probably hiding in their offices or some such to make sure they don't get killed by the crazy Apache pilot outside." Tom said. Nate nodded and they headed for the stairway. On their way down, they did see a few civilians. They passed them by at top speed. The stairway they were using ended on the tenth floor.

"Must be another one." Nate said as they exited the stairway. But as he did, he came right face to face with the gunner of the Apache looking straight at him. "Shit, get back!"

Tom slammed the door behind them to protect the civilians and he took Nate and ran to the right as the Apache gunner spun up the minigun and began firing.

"We have to do something!" Tom yelled.

"I've got an idea!" Nate yelled. He pulled out his pistol and shot out a window ahead. He ran for it, and then jumped through it to the side and onto the helicopter with Tom yelling Nate's name out behind him. His weight unbalanced the helicopter for a moment as he grabbed the bar with one hand.

He grunted and grabbed on with his other hand. The helicopter swerved away from the building and the gunner let the minigun fall. He stepped out, and tried to step on Nate's left hand. He let go, then used the hand to grab the Gunners leg and tried to pull him off. The gunner held onto the door and minigun hard, trying to stay in. But with one last pull, he pulled the gunner out and dropped him to the street below.

He climbed into the copter with effort and looked towards the pilot seat. Suddenly, a man jumped out with a gun and tried to shoot Nate. He knocked the gun upward and the bullet discharged into the ceiling. He then punched the man in the face knocking him out. Nate grabbed his own pistol and went into the cockpit.

Suddenly, the pilot flipped around and tried to shoot him to. But Nate was too fast; he put the gun to the pilots face and fired. With the pilot dead, the helicopter started going out of control.

"Oh shit, maybe that wasn't such a good idea!" He yelled. He reached over the pilot and pushed open the door as the helicopter swerved left and right and started entering a spin. He unbuckled the pilot and pushed him out the door and onto the ground and took the pilot seat.

Nate had no idea what he was doing; he grabbed the stick and tried to steady out the chopper. He succeeded partially, getting the wild death spin to stop but still plunging downward to a crowded city street.

"Get out of the way!" He screamed. But they of course couldn't hear him. They were screaming and running all over the place. He pulled back on the stick and went to the left, reestablishing the wild death spin and heading for the side of a hill.

"Oh shit!" He yelled. Knowing he couldn't stop the helicopter now, he jumped out of the chopper and to the ground. He landed on a patch of grass extremely hard and started rolling until he hit a tree. The helicopter kept spinning and then slammed into the hillside with a huge explosion.

Nate groaned and stood up. He could feel that he was going to feel that next morning, but he was mostly okay. He chuckled in disbelief.

"Wow, I can't believe that just happened." He said. He started walking back towards the city. Soon after, Tom came running over.

"Nate, what the hell happened?" He asked.

"I crashed the helicopter." Nate replied simply.

"Well, no kidding. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Nate replied.

"I can't believe Jason used the Grail like he did to find us. How did he know our plan though?" Tom asked.

"I don't know, but that doesn't change what we're here for. We need to go and get the others and get to the Ark before Jason does." Nate responded.

"Your right, let's get going."

They started walking towards the front of the Church of Nativity.

* * *

><p><strong>Man! That was really fun to write. Two chapters in a single day, now that's something I can be proud of! Enjoy! This is the 50000 word milestone to! I bet you guys sure enjoyed that action though. I personally don't think it was as intense as "Predator and Prey", but you can't say this wasn't badass. <strong>

**Remember to review! It keeps me writing! Again, I wish you a Happy Independence Day! **


	15. Chapter 15: The Setup

**Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost**

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 4****th****, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15: The Setup<strong>

"_You can fool some of the people all the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time."_** –Abraham Lincoln**

* * *

><p>Sully threw the door of the van open as Tom and Nate approached.<p>

"What happened?" Sully asked. "Something about explosions and a helicopter tearing apart the town right before it crashed is all over the news."

"Wow, that was fast." Tom said.

"Never underestimate the press." Elena called.

"So I'm going to assume that was you." Sully said. Nate nodded. "I'm also going to assume you didn't get him."

"Unfortunately no." Nate said.

"What happened?" He asked.

"It was a setup, he knew we were coming." Nate replied. "First they blew up the roof we were camping out on and when that didn't work they sicked an Apache on us."

"But how did they know?" Charlie asked. "They were supposed to think we were dead!"

"It was Jason. He went to all of Tom's previous acquaintances and used the Holy Grail to turn them against us." Nate answered.

"Then what are we going to do?" Flynn asked.

"Actually, I had an idea." Nate said. "We get captured."

"Now what would that accomplish?" Chloe asked.

"First, I have to ask Flynn a question." Nate said. "Remember when you rescued us in the tomb?"

"How could I forget? The looks on your faces were priceless." Flynn replied grinning.

"Well, you resisted the Holy Grail. He told you what to do, and you refused. How did you do that?" He inquired.

"I don't know." Flynn said.

"Hm, did you feel like tendrils were digging into your mind? Because that's how I felt when he used it on me." Nate said.

"No, I didn't feel anything." Flynn said. "Do you think this has something to do with…?"

"Your resurrection? Yes, that's my best guess." Nate said. "Because it brought you back, you must be immune to its affects."

"Mate, what does this have to do with getting captured?" Flynn asked.

"First of all, you won't be captured. The rest of us will." Nate said. "They have guards everywhere, there is no way one of us will be able to slip in unnoticed without a distraction. If we turn ourselves in, we'd provide just that."

"Then, when they take us to the inner chambers, Flynn executes a rescue and we won't have to worry about the guards." Tom finished. "Ingenious plan Nate."

"Exactly! Also, even if Jason is there with the Grail… he won't be able to stop Flynn because he's immune to its effects." Nate said.

"That's one helluva plan kid." Sully said. "But are you sure we can trust Flynn on this?"

"Sully, he's been with us for a whole month now. He hasn't made any attempt to sell us out, and considering that he doesn't remember anything he did, it isn't fair to keep judging him on it." Nate said. "I'm confident Flynn will be able to do it. Right Flynn?"

"Right." Flynn replied.

"Besides, do you have another idea?" Nate asked. Sully grumbled.

"Fine." He replied.

"Okay everyone, let's go get captured." Nate said.

"Flynn, there's a silenced 9mm handgun in the weapons case." Tom said. "It uses subsonic rounds just like my rifle, so no one will hear a thing."

"Speaking of your rifle, it's probably best you leave it here." Nate said. Tom nodded and deposited his rifle in the van and jumped out.

"Okay, let's go." He said.

As they walked, Tom fell far behind saying he needed to make a personal phone call. When he was done, he came back to the group. They arrived at the church after only a bit of walking and went straight for the front door. As they walked through an arch, Nate started wondering where all the guards were.

"It's a bit to quiet don't you think?" He asked.

Suddenly, there was a sound of rifles being drawn and ready from both sides and they instinctually pulled out their handguns and pointed them at their assailants. They were surrounded by guards clad in black uniforms with the Templar crest on their chest and equipped with MP5 sub-machine guns and C8 Carbines.

"Do you really think you have a chance in this situation?" The man asked. "Put the guns down and come with us."

Nate nodded at the rest of them and they all dropped their guns. Just as he had planned, they were all escorted into the building. As this was done, Flynn slipped in silently behind them and followed at a distance. It was dark out now, and Flynn used the darkness to scale one of the towers as the gang was taken inside.

When he reached the top, he crossed along the top of the wall and entered the Church. As any good thief does, he had memorized the layout and knew exactly where to go to get to the main hall. He went there quick avoiding guards and situated himself in the rafters above while examining the situation below.

The hall was lit with candles and Jason was standing behind the podium scanning the walls.

"Well, hello again. You can survive some remarkable situations…" Jason said. "It's honestly getting on my nerves, but I can respect your strength."

He turned around and stepped off the podium. He was holding an apple and took a bite out of it.

"Apples… I love apples, do you know why?" He asked.

"I honestly couldn't care less Jason, now what do you want." Nate said.

"Hm, so you like cutting to the chase. You are remarkably similar to your father in that way." Jason said. "But I do not care, you will listen to me."

He stepped up and punched Nate across the face and onto the ground.

"What? That's all you got?" Nate asked. "Aren't you going to use the Holy Grail to make me listen?"

"I could." Jason said. "But where would be the fun in that?"

He again turned his back to Nate and took another bite from his apple.

"Anyways, I like apples because they are something everyone can agree on." Jason said.

"Oh, and what's that mean?" Sully asked.

"Lucifer and God both used apples to get what they wanted." Jason said. "It's the only thing the two agree on. I am the apple, the neutral between the two extremes. Once I acquire the three artifacts that form the Holy Trinity, I will be God. I will be a better God then the one we have."

"At least God doesn't murder people needlessly." Elena rebuked.

"That is so wrong. People die all of the time. Children and Adults, pointless death all over the place and God doesn't stop it." Jason responded.

"Oh, and you won't let that happen?" Chloe asked.

"No, I won't." Jason said. "Once I am God, no one will die anymore."

"You say these things but all you do is inflict death." Tom piped in.

"I'll bring them back when I'm done. Sacrifices must be made to ensure that the second coming of Christ happens, and that Christ, will be me." Jason said. Nate suddenly noticed that one of Jason's guards was sticking really close to him for no apparent reason. "The only people who will die are those that oppose me."

"You are arrogant; you think you're actually worthy of the power." Nate said. "You talk about becoming God, but you speak about taking away free will."

"A necessary sacrifice. Sometimes, when things must be done, someone must have absolute say over everything." Jason said. "Do you think that if Adolf Hitler did not have complete control over his men that he would've been able to do what he did? Conquer Germany and actually get his people to do what he told them to do, killing millions of people? No, he would not have."

"God needs to be loved by his people, not just respected for his power. Otherwise he has no right to exercise his power or his guidance on those under him." Tom said glaring at Jason.

Suddenly, the conversation was interrupted by shots from the rafters as Flynn opened fire at Jason. The guard that had been sticking close to Jason leaped in the way of the bullets as the rest of the guards flipped around to try and locate the source of the fire. Nate and his friends took the chance to take the weapons from the guard's holsters and shoot them with them as Flynn continued to rain fire down from the rafters.

When everyone was dead and the smoke had cleared, Jason had gone.

"Shit, he got away." Sully said. Flynn used a rope to slide down from the rafters to the floor.

"Come on, we have to find the Ark quickly." Nate said.

"Any idea where it could be?" Tom asked.

"I'm guessing it's somewhere in the caves below the Church. Or rather the Crypt called the Grotto of the Nativity. Jesus's birthplace is supposed to be down there marked by the fourteen point Silver Star." Nate said. "Let's go."

They went as fast as they could, sprinting through hallways in full force. They encountered guards on the way in which they engaged in firefights with. But sooner rather than later, they finally reached the Grotto of the Nativity. They navigated the way through the crypt until they found the altar, and finally, the fourteen point Silver Star that was under it.

"Finally here." Sully said. "But what are we looking for kid?"

"Wait a second, do you guys see that?" Nate asked as he stared at the star.

"See what Nate? There's nothing special looking about that star." Elena said.

"No, I see it to." Flynn said.

"Someone going to fill us in or are we going to have to ask nicely?" Charlie asked.

"The nubs on each point of the silver star…" Nate started.

"….they're glowing." Flynn finished.

"One is glowing a bit brighter than the other ones." Nate said.

"That has to be it then. You two have both had some contact with the Holy Grail, which must be why no one has found the Ark here before." Chloe said.

"It must be some kind of combination lock." Elena said. "Go ahead Nate, try and get it open so we can get out of here."

Nate nodded and stepped up to the Silver Star. He pressed his index finger to the nub glowing the brightest, the glow turned green.

"That one turned green!" Nate said.

"I can see that mate, look; another one is glowing brighter than the other ones now." Flynn said. Nate touched that one, and then the next, and the next until finally he completed the combination. There was suddenly a huge rumbling and the ground Sully and Charlie were standing on began to shift, they got away from the spot as it turned into a set of stairs leading downward.

"Well, I'll be go to hell." Sully said. "Good work kid."

"Expecting something different Sully?" Nate asked.

"Guess not." He replied.

"Well then, what are we waiting for, let's go inside." Elena said. They all gathered at the top of the staircase while Tom fell back behind them. When they were all gathered, Tom suddenly drew his gun shaking.

"I'm… I'm sorry everyone… But you're going to have to stop here." Tom said. They all flipped around to see him pointing his gun at them; they threw their hands in the air.

"Tom? What the hell are you doing?" Elena asked.

"After Jason got the Holy Grail… he didn't go to my associates, he went straight to me and my men." Tom said. "He knew about the plan because he forced me to tell him."

"You fell back to give him a phone call earlier…" Nate said in realization. "You didn't take the shot when you had the chance!"

"I'm sorry Nate; I didn't want to do this. He can't tell me what to say with the Grail, but he threatened to make me kill all of you if I didn't do what he said." Tom said. A few tears dropped from his eyes. "I'm so sorry. Please, drop your guns on the ground and kick them over here."

Tom clicked something on his hip and it glowed red. They all dropped their guns and kicked them over to him.

"That's a transceiver so Jason knows where to find us." Sully said. "This has been a setup since the beginning; he wanted us to find the Ark for him."

"I don't blame you for any of this Tom, it isn't your fault." Nate said.

"Thank you Nate." Tom said. He actually chuckled a little bit. "You know it's funny. Your final plan was to setup Jason so Flynn could kill him, but in reality, you were being setup to find the Ark and get him one step closer to the final piece of the puzzle."

Nate nodded. Suddenly, Jason stepped in and immediately pointed his gun at Flynn and pulled the trigger. The bullet punched right through is stomach. He yelled in pain and fell to the ground writhing.

"That should stop you from trying to interfere." Jason said. He grabbed the Grail around his neck and looked at Nate and the gang. "You can all grab your guns back now, I don't know what you possibly could do with them besides protect me, but you never know when it can be useful for your servants to be armed."

The tendrils snaked right into Nate's mind again, and without actively telling what his body to do, it moved of its own accord. He picked up his gun and put it in its holster.

"Now then, let's go see the Ark shall we?" Jason asked. He stepped onto the stairs and started descending them. They all followed, Tom holding his gun to his side.

"Do you think there's any way out of this one Nate?" Sully asked.

"We've been through worse." He replied.

* * *

><p><strong>Before you ask, yes I am that badass. I have published not just two, but THREE chapters in one day. Remember to review! The next chapter is going to have some interesting events!<strong>

**I also bet none of you were expecting that twist! Geez, I love plot twists. I dropped hints, but I bet none of you picked up on them! I sure am making a lot of bets today, hahaha  
><strong>

**I again say Happy Independence Day! Oh, and if some of you look back you will also notice the first four chapters have been updated with the more modern look I use now as well as grammatical and sense corrections.  
><strong>


	16. Chapter 16: The Ark

**Be warned, this chapter has some rather gruesome and dark themes in the end. Not for the faint of heart.**

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><p><strong>Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost<strong>

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 5th, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 16: The Ark<strong>

"_That deep emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God."_ **–Albert Einstein**

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><p>They continued moving down the stairs, no matter how hard they tried to resist.<p>

"This is crazy…" Chloe said. "Why… why can't I stop myself?"

"I thought you already knew that the Grail provides controls over the minds of men." Jason said in response.

"But… but how?" Elena asked.

"Well, I was curious as well so I asked a neural scientist what exactly the Grail does to give me absolute control over your mind." Jason said. "It turns out that the Grail only has control over the parts of your mind that make you move. So it honestly doesn't really control your mind. It was apparently a misconception."

"You just love flaunting the fact that you have power." Nate said.

"If you say so." Jason replied.

"It's true, and you know it." Nate replied. "The only reason you're doing any of this, taking these artifacts, is because you like having control."

"After I get the Ark, I won't even have to ask for control." Jason said. "You'll all follow me willingly."

"Why would we… want to go and do that?" Sully asked.

"Because, that's what the Ark does. It allows me control over the heart and soul… so to speak." He replied.

"So… it's just another way for you to subvert people's free will…" Nate said.

"Of course. Free will is overrated, look what "free will" has done to this world… death, destruction, poverty... humanity has proven that it has no right to free will." Jason said.

"You're human…" Elena said. "…all you'd be doing is exercising your will."

"That's the point." Jason said. "Once I have all three, I won't be human anymore. I will be God."

"No one person, not even God, has the right to wield all of that power." Nate said.

"Yet he does have that power and exercises it ruthlessly." Jason said. He grabbed the Grail again. "Now that's enough talk for now, we're getting close."

The tendrils dug deeper into his mind and suddenly he couldn't move his mouth or his tongue anymore. But Jason had been right, they were getting close. There was a golden glow in the distance that they were approaching.

Finally, they left the last step, and standing before them on a raised platform was a huge golden chest.

"There you are…" Jason said. "…ultimate power is mine."

He started laughing maniacally. He then turned around and grabbed the grail again. Nate started looking around the room for escape routes; he spotted two hallways leading out from the room and the stairway they had just come down.

"I'll let you have control of your own tongues for one last time before I touch that chest, and all of the power is mine." Jason said.

"You're insane!" Nate yelled as he could move his mouth again.

"If he touches that chest, humanity is doomed…" Tom said. "We… have to stop him!"

"Sorry, but only that mediocre friend of yours can resist the power of the Grail, and he isn't around." Jason said.

"You aren't worthy of this power!" Elena yelled.

"As I've heard before." Jason said. He turned around and started to walk towards the chest.

"No! You psychotic son of a bitch!" Chloe yelled.

"Bollocks this is bad!" Charlie said.

"Nate, any ideas?" Sully asked.

"Sorry, fresh out." Nate said.

"Sod it! This is bad!" Tom said.

Jason was now before the chest, and he reached out.

"NO!" They all yelled. But then he touched the chest, and suddenly the glow ceased and it got pretty dark. Their eyes slowly adjusted to the level of light. Suddenly, Nate noticed he was starting to get control back of his limbs. Jason suddenly flipped around, and Nate noticed that he was feeling no particular want to be subservient to him.

"Everyone…" He whispered. They all looked at him, and he just winked and turned back to look at Jason.

"Bow before me!" Jason yelled. They did as he instructed, but they only did it because they wanted to make him think it worked. "Who is your God?"

"You are master." Nate said. The rest repeated after him. Slowly, bit by bit, he felt the control of the Grail on his limbs wearing off. He looked around at the others and could tell they were to. Jason turned about and laughed… slowly but surely, the Grail's power was finally gone and he finally had control of himself again.

Nate stood up and drew his gun as did the rest of them, and pointed it at Jason. He flipped around.

"What are you all doing?" He asked. "Drop the guns and get back on your knees! Now!"

"Master, go and screw yourself." Nate said. He fired followed by everyone else, and Jason took all of their bullets. He collapsed in a heap. They all holstered their weapons.

"I… can't believe that's finally over." Tom said. He laughed. "That was one helluva situation huh?"

"Yea it was." Nate said. "Like I said, I don't blame you for what you did."

"Thanks Nate, now why don't we check out this chest?" Tom said.

"Why don't you and Sully go back upstairs and check on Flynn?" Nate said.

"Oh, of course, how could we forget about him?" Sully asked sarcastically.

"Nate's right, he took a bullet, let's go make sure he's okay." Tom said.

"I've had enough of this mystical stuff; I'm going to go back upstairs. Come on hun." Chloe said.

"But… I want to see what happens!" Charlie replied.

"Now Charlie." Chloe said walking up the stairs alongside Tom and Sully.

"Sod it…" Charlie said. He went and started up the stairs. Elena went and joined Nate.

"You… thought that was enough to kill me…?" Jason asked from the floor. They swung around to look at him as he pulled the pin from a grenade, and threw it into the stairway. It exploded and collapsed it.

"My… men… are coming for you…" Jason whispered. Then he fell silent and still.

"Shit, this is bad Nate. We've got to go." Elena said.

"Just give me a second. The Templars will still be after the artifacts, we can't let them get the staff. The Ark should tell us what and where it is!" Nate said.

"Okay, but hurry up!" Elena said. Nate went up to the Ark and touched it, and suddenly it burst to life with the golden glow again.

"Well, that solves the light problem." Nate said. He lifted open the chest. There were several objects that Nate didn't quite recognize inside, and several he did. But the star of the show was the two tablets with the Ten Commandments written on them. "Wow…"

"What?" Elena asked coming over.

"The Ten Commandments…" Nate said.

"Nate, that's great. But we have to go, hurry up and find what we're looking for." Elena urged.

"Yea, sorry." He replied. He looked around inside the chest and saw an envelope resting on the top left. He grabbed it and looked at it. The front was blank for a moment before gold lettering criss-crossed it.

It read: _To whoever is worthy enough to find this Ark. _

He flipped it over and opened the extremely old envelope. It wasn't sealed, so he just lifted the flap and pulled out the piece of paper inside. He unfolded the paper and found a blank sheet. As before, as soon as he looked, golden lettering solidified itself onto the sheet.

_Hello. You have proven yourself worthy of the Grail, and by deciphering the riddle given to you, have proven yourself worthy of the Ark. One final item rests ahead that you must find. One final riddle that you must solve. _

_The Prince of Egypt strives to free his true people, but he was only able to do so after committing a heinous crime against humanity. Take this document, and go to the sea he crossed, and you will be led to the true resting place of his staff. _

"I've got it." Nate said.

"You've got what?" Elena asked. He showed her the paper. "It's blank Nate…"

"Oh, you just can't see it." He said. He red it out loud to her.

"Who is the Prince of Egypt?" Elena asked.

"What, didn't you ever watch that movie?" Nate asked.

"No."

"Eh, it was a good one. The Prince of Egypt is Moses! The sea he crossed is the Red Sea, in Egypt."

"Wow, guess we're going to Egypt then." Elena replied. "Whatever, we need to get moving."

Nate put the letter back in the envelope and put it in his back pocket.

"Left or right?" Nate asked.

"Left." They both said.

They went left and down the dark hallway for a ways until they came to a turn. They took it, and found another room like the one the Ark had been stored in. A stairway was to their right, and they took it.

"Looks like it opened four staircases when we opened the way." Elena said.

"That's convenient. We would've been trapped down there other-" Nate started to say. But suddenly, something smashed into the back of his head. As he went down, he heard another bash and Elena shouting in pain. Then the entire world went black.

* * *

><p>Nate groaned as he woke up. He tried to move his hands, but there were ropes that resisted. His head felt like it had been on the receiving end of a baseball bat as he opened his eyes. He squinted as light met them.<p>

"Well, look at that. He's waking up. Go get him." A man said.

"Yes sir." Said another. There was the sound of a door opening and closing as the blurriness in his eyes slowly faded. He was in a small room with stone walls. He looked around and saw a man wearing a Templar uniform.

"What's going on?" Nate mumbled.

"You've been captured mate." The man replied. "Now shut up, no one told you to talk."

"Where's Elena…? Where did you put her?" Nate suddenly said jumping up in his chair as far as the ropes would allow. The man didn't reply. "Where… is… my… wife!"

He started struggling more against the restraints. Suddenly, the door opened and he stopped struggling to look up.

"No…" He whispered to himself. "That's… that's impossible!"

"I'm afraid not." Jason said. He was in a full Templar uniform with the Grail hanging around his neck, and perfectly fine.

"So, who was that we killed? A body double? A clone?" Nate asked.

"Oh, no it was me. It really hurt to, and for that…" Jason said. He punched Nate hard against the side of the face. "Boys, bring me a tub of water and a car battery with jumper cables."

"You think torture is going to make me talk? To tell you where to go to find the staff? You've got another thing coming." Nate said. He was actually testing him to make sure that Jason didn't know about the letter in his pocket.

"Oh, you will talk Nathan." Jason said. "It's just a matter of time."

"Where… is… Elena?" Nate asked threateningly. The tub of water was brought in and Nate's shoes stripped off and his feet dropped into the tub. He shook with the cold, but they held his feet down while someone else tied them down. Jason waited until they were done to respond.

"You should be more worried about yourself." He said. He then dropped one of the cables into the water and Nate felt a familiar pain leap through his body. The face of Mister Pinkerton flashed before his eyes as he screamed in agony. After a few seconds, the pain finally stopped as the cables were lifted from the water.

"You… bastard…" Nate said. "How… did you survive?"

"I was wearing the Holy Grail my friend." Jason said. "Whoever holds it cannot die."

"Son… of… a… bitch…" Nate said just before the cables were dropped in again and he was screaming. They were soon pulled out again. "Where… is… Elena…?"

"Oh, we'll get to that soon enough." Jason replied before yet again dropping in the cables. This time, Nate fell unconscious by the time it ended.

* * *

><p>He woke up again breathing harshly tied to a chair looking through a window. Suddenly, a light came on, and he saw that Elena was strapped to a similar chair on the other side.<p>

"Elena…?" Nate said.

"Nate!" Elena shouted. "Nate are you okay?"

"I'm fine honey." Nate replied. Suddenly, Jason stepped into the light on the other side. He was holding a syringe full of a clear liquid. "You leave her alone you rat bastard!"

"This here my friend is Formic Acid, ninety percent concentration. It's a poison that causes pain but won't kill. Now, you tell me what I want to know, or I will use it on Elena here." Jason said.

"Don't do it Nate! Don't tell him what he wants to know!" Elena said.

"Let her go! She has nothing to do with this!" Nate yelled.

"On the contrary, yes she does." Jason said. He lowered the syringe over Elena's skin. She shrugged away from him and tried struggling against her bonds.

"No! Leave her alone!" Nate screamed struggling to get free. Jason depressed the syringe end and some of the poison leaked onto Elena's skin. She started screaming in pain.

"Formic acid in this concentration is corrosive to skin." Jason said. "Tell me what I want to know, or I will inject it directly into her bloodstream and she will know pain and suffering."

"Don't do it Nate!" Elena yelled.

"I'm… sorry Elena, I can't let him do that to you." Nate said. "I'll tell you… please… don't hurt her."

"Tell me now!" Jason said.

"There's a letter in my back pocket. You have to take it to the Red Sea in Egypt to find Moses's Staff." Nate said. "Now let her go."

Jason nodded at a spot behind him, and suddenly pain emerged on the back of his head and he blacked out with Elena screaming his name.

* * *

><p>The air is cold.<p>

This was what Nate thought as he emerged from unconsciousness. Beyond that, he thought of the pain that all of a sudden hit him everywhere, but especially in his stomach where it struck harder with hunger. His tongue was dry, and he thirsted for water heavily…

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><p><strong>So yea, that was a rather dark chapter. But more importantly, we've caught up to the present. If you want a recap of events of the first chapter, go and read it, the next chapter is going to jump in where that one ended. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!<strong>


	17. Chapter 17: Rescue

**Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost**

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 5th, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 17: Rescue<strong>

"_I always looked for a man to rescue me and bring me happiness. I bought into that myth, of course, and looked for my own Prince Charming."_ **–Linda Evans**

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><p>Nate yelled as he fell from the tower flapping his arms.<p>

"I hate heights!" He screamed. Then he slammed into the water and it felt like he had just been ran over. He was deep underwater within seconds. He was in so much pain and shock for the first few moments he couldn't even move, and then he came to his senses and surfaced breathing harshly. He then swam over to the shore of the moat and slowly climbed out.

When he finally crawled out of it and into the grass, he flipped over onto his back and groaned. He was covered in mud and used his hand to wipe some out of his eyes. He waited a few minutes and then flipped back over and stood up.

"I've… got to go rescue Elena." Nate said. He started walking towards the front of the castle; he could hear distant shouts from the palisades. He cursed himself for not taking Stacey's gun as he came around the front to find the drawbridge up. He was just thinking about how he would get through when it suddenly started lowering.

When it reached the bottom, a bunch of Templar guards ran out. Nate jumped forward and behind a fallen tree as they started firing at him.

"Shit, what now?" He asked himself. Suddenly, there was a truck engine in the distance.

"Who's that coming over?" One of the guards asked. Suddenly, Nate heard some kind of quiet squishing sound and one of the guards falling down on the drawbridge.

"Shit, get back inside and take cover!" Another one said.

"What's going on…?" Nate wondered. He peeked over the top of the tree to see a dead Templar guard who had been shot in the head with the rest turning and running. Another one took a bullet in the back as they did.

"Raise the bridge!" One of them shouted. Nate knew he wouldn't be able to get in if he did that so he ran for the bridge as it started going upwards. It was too high for him to jump on as he reached it, so he jumped up and grabbed on. Then he swung his leg up and climbed over.

"Drop the gate!" Came a shout. Nate rolled as gunfire hit the bridge around him. When he passed the dead Templar rolling with him, he grabbed his rifle and held it close. He finally reached the bottom and rolled under the gate just as it slammed shut. Suddenly there was the sound of a rocket launcher going off and it slammed into the castle wall next to him.

A huge cloud of dust billowed from the wall as large pieces collapsed to the ground.

"That'll work!" Nate said to himself as he took cover behind them. There was a sudden clink of a chain behind him as he started firing at his assailants as they took cover behind old abandoned market stalls in the castle square. "This is one old castle…"

He looked back to see what the clink had been. It turned out one of the chains on the drawbridge seemed to have been broken. Suddenly, there was another clink and sparks resulted from the other chain and it dropped to.

"Holy shit." Nate said. He looked up and saw someone aiming down at him. Just as he was about to roll out of the way, the guy's head exploded and he fell forward and over the rail landing next to Nate. He was running out of ammo at this moment and the soldiers were advancing. "That'll work. Looks like I have a sniper on my side."

He grabbed the Templar's rifle, his pistol, and any ammo on him dropping his old empty C8 on the ground. Then he popped up and started firing. There was a ton of them and he was going to be able to hold out much longer. Suddenly, the truck engine in the distance started getting much louder and Nate saw a pickup truck beyond the gate.

There was a figure on the back of it holding a rocket launcher. He fired it towards the gate.

"Oh shit!" Nate said. He leaped over his cover and moved up to take cover behind a piece farther away as the rocket slammed into the gate and tore it to shreds. The truck suddenly flew through the smoke and skidded to a stop. Sully was in the driver's seat and Charlie was on the back of the truck with a rocket launcher as Flynn reloaded it.

"Hey kid, how are ya doing?" Sully asked.

"Not so good!" Nate yelled as Charlie took aim and fired the rocket at a set of stalls nearby. "I'm still glad to see ya though!"

"Where's Elena?" Sully asked.

"I don't know, Jason's got her! We have to go get her before he does something horrible!"

"What? He's dead!" Sully replied.

"No he isn't, he claims the grail brought him back to life." Nate said.

"Think he's lying?" Sully asked.

"I don't think so." Nate answered.

"I sure wouldn't put it past him." Flynn said.

"That guy is a right ass hole!" Charlie said.

"Watch where your shooting that thing next time, you almost killed me!" Nate yelled.

"I didn't though did I?" Charlie answered.

"I'm starting to think someone else around here in a right ass hole!" Nate rebuked.

"Oh, sod off. Just get in!"

"Can't argue with that!"

Nate broke cover and ran for the truck. He vaulted over the side and into the back. Then he used the front part of the truck as cover and looked over to take fire. He knocked on the window.

"Sully, go!" Nate yelled.

"Hold on!" Sully yelled. He stepped on the accelerator and they flew forward as the Templars fired at them. They smashed through market stalls while Nate fired at the small groups and Flynn and Charlie took care of the big groups. Chloe suddenly leaned out the right side window and started firing as well.

"Shouldn't you be the one driving?" Nate asked as he reloaded.

"The old man said he'd take care of this one." Chloe said as she did a drive by shot on a Templar and reloaded her pistol. Sully crashed the truck through a group of stalls and they coughed on the dirt cloud.

"Maybe you shouldn't have let him." Nate coughed.

"Too late now!" She replied. A few Templars with rockets grouped up above and started firing. Sully stared skidding all over to dodge. One of their heads exploded as a sniper bullet ripped through it.

"I'm going to guess that's Tom." Nate said.

"You'd be correct mate!" Charlie replied.

"We're out of rockets!" Flynn yelled. "Back to basics!"

He pulled out a handgun and started firing back at the rocket men. Nate took one out and Flynn took out another before a sniper bullet ripped through the last ones skull.

"Sully, get us up by the front door so we can get off!" Nate yelled.

"I'm on it kid!" He replied. Sully skidded around and had the truck leap up a bunch of stairs towards the front door. As they approached it and didn't slow down, Nate started to get worried.

"Sully, aren't you going to stop?" Nate asked. "Um… Sully?"

They smashed straight through the door.

"Oh shit!" Nate yelled. They started taking fire almost immediately; they returned it and cleared out the room quickly.

"This is your stop." Sully said. Everyone but him stepped out.

"Why don't you tell me before you do something like that one?" Nate asked.

"I will next time… maybe." Sully said. He then threw him a radio. "Call me up on that when you're ready and I'll be back. I'm going to go pickup Tom so we can all escape together. Then we can take my plane to wherever we need to go. Uh… you did find out where that staff is right?"

"Yea Sully, I found out." Nate said. "Right before we got captured I found out that the last artifact is Moses's staff, and it's in Egypt. But we can't get to it without the letter we found, and Jason took it."

"Why did you tell him?" Flynn asked. "He couldn't have known about it!"

"He didn't know, I told him because he was about to inject Elena with some kind of poison that inflicts pain." Nate said. "I couldn't let him do that to her…"

"Christ, don't worry about it mate." Flynn said. "Guess we're just going to have to kill him again then."

"Sounds like a plan." Nate said.

"Like I said, call me when you're ready." Sully said. Nate nodded and Sully sped out the front door and back to the Castle square.

"Okay, let's get moving then." Chloe said. "But do you know where to go?"

"No, but one of these dead guards must have a map. This place is huge!" Nate said.

"Got it, everyone get looking then." Charlie said. They started searching the dead men. A few minutes passed and then Chloe cried out.

"Got it!" She said. They all ran over and she handed the map to Nate.

"Heh, this place has a dungeon." Nate said.

"A real life dungeon?" Flynn said. "Wow, these guys are old fashioned."

"Well, if she's anywhere she's probably there." Nate said. "Let's go."

He folded up the map.

"Follow me." He said lifting it up before stashing it in his pocket. They navigated their way through the castles halls and grand rooms killing anyone that tried to stop them until they finally made it to the stairway leading to the dungeon. "Down here."

They made their way downstairs and found multiple cells.

"All that I see here and people long-dead." Chloe said.

"Oh, don't say that…" Nate said.

"What, are you scared?" Charlie asked.

"You don't get attacked by zombies on a deserted island full of freaks and forget it." Nate replied.

"What, when did that happen?" Charlie said.

"About four years ago." Nate said.

"No way, you're joking." Flynn piped in.

"Unfortunately not." Nate said. "Shit, she isn't here."

"Well, where else would they put prisoners?" Charlie asked.

"I don't know…" Nate said. "But… maybe those prison records do."

He said pointing to a room labeled "RECORDS ROOM".

"Eh, that'll work." Flynn said. Nate walked over to the room and tried to open it.

"Shit, it's locked. Guess we'll have to pick it." Nate said. Flynn just walked over and kicked the door as hard as he could. The lock broke and the door flew open.

"Don't be a girl." Flynn said. Nate scowled but walked inside the room all the same. He browsed the records until he found himself in D, then went one over and found Elena's.

"Got it." He said. He pulled out the file and read the movement record. "It says here she was moved to the top of the Northeast Tower ten minutes ago. It's handwritten to, guess he didn't think he had enough time to reprint."

"Well ain't that corny." Flynn said.

"Let's go save the princess at locked in the top of the tower then." Nate said. He closed the record.

They quickly navigated their way through the castle, killing as they went as usual, until they found the Northeast tower and climbed to the top. They found guards, but quickly dispatched them. Nate pulled the keys off of the dead guards and unlocked the door. He stepped inside and turned to the right to find Jason holding a gun to Elena's head.

"Oh crap." Nate said as the rest of them walked in and pointed their guns at him.

"Drop the gun mate, it's not worth it." Flynn said.

"He said drop it!" Charlie said.

"On the contrary…" Jason started to say. But he never finished as the glass in the window shattered and a bullet smashed through the back of Jason's hand holding the gun forcing him to drop it and let Elena go. He grunted in pain. "Well… that's bad."

Elena ran over to Nate and he kissed her.

"Are you alright...?" Nate asked.

"I'm fine…" Elena said. "I… have something I should've told you a while ago."

"Wait a minute, there's something we have to take care of first." Nate said. He drew his gun and pointed it at Jason.

"Give us the Grail Jason." Nate said. He started to reach for it but Flynn shot his other hand.

"Goddamn it!" Jason said. "Enough of this!"

He jumped out of the window. Nate ran to it and looked down. They were on the thin section of the moat, and he hit solid ground.

"Somehow, I think that's not the last we'll see of him." Charlie said.

"I think not to." Nate said. "Let's get out of here."

"Um, Nate I seriously need to talk to you for a minute." Elena said.

"Okay, yea, what is it?" Nate asked.

"In _private _Nate." Elena said.

"Can it wait? We should really be out of here."

"It could… but I think it's better I tell you now." Elena replied. She looked at the rest of them.

"Oh sod it; we'll get you a few minutes." Charlie said. He stepped out with the rest.

"Well, at least Chloe didn't have to stop him from listening to us this time." Nate said.

"Ouch!" Charlie said from the other side of the door.

"You really need to stop this Charlie." Chloe said. Their footsteps faded.

"Or not." Elena said.

"Anyways, what is it honey?" Nate asked. She stepped up and put herself in his arms.

"Um… well, I should've told you this about two weeks ago, right before we left for Bethlehem. Oh, and it probably would've been better over dinner or something. But… I didn't think you would let me go otherwise…" Elena said.

"What could possibly convince me to stop you?" Nate asked.

"Well, Nate… I'm… I'm pregnant." Elena said. Nate looked dumbfounded all of a sudden.

"Wh-what…?" He asked.

"I'm pregnant." She said really dragging out the words.

"Whoa… wow…" Nate said.

"Really? That's all you can manage?" Elena said.

"Well… this is… kind of sudden…" Nate said. She slapped him. "Hey, what the hell was that for?"

"I needed to get your attention." She replied.

"I'm just not certain how to respond…" He said.

"How about, "Wow honey, that's great! I love you, and this is going to be the best thing that's ever happened to us!". Just a suggestion."

He looked at her lovingly.

"Wow honey, that's great. I love you, and this is going to be the best thing that's ever happened to us. I'm also not just saying that because you told me to." Nate said. He bent down. "Hey in there buddy, can't wait for you to come out."

This made Elena blush.

"You really know how to impress a woman huh?" Elena said.

"It's not like I didn't sweep you off your feet before." Nate replied. "But um, we really should get going now. I'm not going to let anything happen to my son slash daughter."

"That's what I thought." Elena said. Nate picked up the radio; he found that the button had been stuck down the whole time.

"Ah shit." Nate said.

"What?" Elena said.

"Well, um, this is a one way radio. The button must've got stuck down when I got it from Sully."

"Oh great, so he heard everything?"

"I'm guessing Tom did to." Nate said. "So much for keeping it a secret. Anyways, Sully, we're ready to be picked up. Meet you where you dropped us off."

He fiddled with the button until it released.

"Got that kid." Sully replied. "Congratulations by the way."

"Ah, shove a sock in it." Nate sent back. He could see Sully laughing in his head. "Well, then, let's go see Uncle Sully eh kids?"

"Hey, I'm up here." Elena said as he looked at her stomach.

"You to honey." He said.

* * *

><p><strong>Counteracting the last chapter with a happy one. Hope you enjoyed Elena's revelation and the ensuing banter! <strong>

**Also, wow, 5 chapters in 2 days. Talk about hitting the grindstone.  
><strong>


	18. Chapter 18: The Red Sea

**Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost**

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 7th, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18: The Red Sea<strong>

"_Each life makes its own imitation of immortality." _**–Stephen King**

* * *

><p>They walked into the destroyed hall they had entered through just as Sully sped through the broken door.<p>

"Need a ride?" He asked.

"How could I say no to that baby face?" Nate said as he climbed into the back of the pickup truck followed by everyone else.

"Hey, I see what you did there." Sully said.

"I don't." Charlie said.

"What, didn't you tell them?" Tom asked from the passenger seat.

"Tell us what?" Flynn said.

"It might as well be that Elena's pregnant." Chloe said sarcastically. Nate and Elena looked at her wide-eyed. "Wait, is she?"

Nate nodded.

"You're kidding, congratulations Nate." Chloe said.

"When did that happen?" Charlie asked.

"If you must know, it was after Nate left from the hospital. We shared a night of beautiful passion…" Elena said.

"That sounds so romantic!" Chloe said.

"Oh no, here comes the gossip. Is there an alternate form of transportation around?" Flynn asked.

"Don't be an ass Flynn; this is supposed to be a happy moment." Nate replied.

"Well, your lady is going to get really big and fat and then be destroyed as what's inside exits…" Flynn said rolling his eyes.

"Way to be on the positive side Flynn." Nate replied. Elena got up and slapped Flynn across the face.

"Ow, that hurt. What in the hell was that for?" Flynn asked.

"Don't be an ass." Elena said sitting down. Everyone laughed at him as Sully pulled the truck back and sped out the door.

"Sully, before we leave, go to the base of the Northeast Tower. We have something we need to pick up." Nate yelled. "Oh, and Flynn, you should really know not to mess with a pregnant woman."

"I'm on it kid!" He replied. "I'm also wondering how long it will take for his baby face to recover."

"Oh shut up." Flynn replied.

Sooner rather than later, Sully had the truck out of the castle square and speeding over the grass towards the Northeast Tower. When they arrived, they found Jason's body unmoved. As Nate jumped out to check him, he noticed how in such bad shape the body was.

"Make sure to grab the Grail mate. I've had enough with this guy." Charlie said.

"Got it. Eugh, he's not looking so good…" Nate said observing the way his limbs were bent all out of shape. Bones had punched through the skin in some places as well, leaving him looking like a wrangled mess.

"Since when are you squeamish kid?" Sully asked. "Just grab what you need so we can go."

He nodded in response and started checking Jason's pockets. Sooner rather than later, he found what he was looking for in the uniform.

"Geez, this thing has got a lot of pockets." Nate said. He turned around and held up the letter. "Found it."

Suddenly, they all looked at him dumbfounded.

"What?" He asked.

"Nate, look out behind you!" Chloe said. He heard some pops and cracks and he turned around to see Jason's body reassembling into shape.

"God, that is just wrong." Flynn said. "Get the Grail before he's finished…"

Nate reached out to the grail hanging around Jason's neck, once he touched it he was surprised to find it scorching hot and he pulled his hand back. Strangely, he couldn't feel any heat radiating from it. But as soon as he touched it, it glowed brightly.

"Nate, there are Templars coming!" Sully said. "We have to get out of here now, don't worry about him!"

"Shit, got it." Nate replied. He ran and jumped back into back of the truck. They looked at the broken form of Jason as he stood up with one of his arms twisted backwards while reaching out with the other one and moaning like a zombie. Tom lifted his pistol out of the door and shot him in the head; it made him stop for a moment as it flung his head backward. But he then brought his head back down to look at them with the hole in his head already healing, eventually spitting the bullet back out.

"Screw it, Sully get us out of here!" Nate yelled.

"Way ahead of you." Sully replied. He hit the gas and flipped the truck around. Templars were not far away and running towards them off the road. Some tried shooting at them to no avail, but they flew past them and got back onto the road easily enough.

"Man, where are we?" Nate asked. "I'm all turned around."

"It's some castle in Scotland." Chloe answered.

"Well, that would make sense considering how old that castle was." Nate said. "But how did you find us?"

"After you guys got trapped back in Bethlehem, we tried to find another way back down to help. Turned out when we opened the one staircase, it opened four across the Church." Chloe said. "We tried looking for you down there, but you were long gone. We assumed you would be at the van or something, but first we had to try and stop the Templars from taking the Ark."

"Did you manage to stop them?" Nate asked.

"Sorry Nate, they beat us to it. The thing was too heavy to carry out on our own anyways, and we were outnumbered. We tried to find you at the van, but when you weren't there we had to assume you'd been captured." Chloe said. "Long story short, Tom called in some contacts within the Templars; he got us a few clues that led us back here. When we saw you fighting the Templars, we raced in to help you out."

"How long have we been here exactly?" Nate asked.

"Two weeks almost." Charlie responded.

"No way, it's only been like three days." He said.

"Nate, they were keeping you sedated." Elena said. "He didn't use any on me after I told him I was pregnant, he also didn't torture me beyond dropping some Formic Acid on my skin because he knew."

"What, so you're telling me the guy does have a heart?" Flynn asked.

"I talked with him a bit." Elena said. "He honestly does believe everything he's doing is for the greater good of everyone. I tried talking him out of it, but every time I brought it up he would leave and slam my cell door in my face. Speaking of Nate, are you okay…? I know he did much worse to you."

"I've… been tortured before." Nate replied.

"Some of the sedatives they used on you caused amnesia, so I'm guessing you don't remember the worst of it." Elena replied. "He… he made me watch the worst ones."

"I… only remember him electrocuting me and then leaving me hanging for dead on a wall." Nate replied. Elena wiped the tears out of her eyes.

"You're lucky; they did much worse than that to you." She said.

"That guy needs a good therapist." Charlie said.

"Charlie, that guy needs to die." Nate replied.

"You'd be surprised, therapy can work wonders." Charlie said.

"Personal experience?" Nate asked.

"What? No… it was a friend of mine. Crazy chap." Charlie replied.

"Uh hunh." Nate said sarcastically.

"Oh, sod off."

He grinned while Charlie scowled.

"All the same, I'm… glad you're okay." Charlie whispered.

"Thanks Charlie." Nate said. "But there's something else we've got to discuss Elena."

"Oh, and what would that be?" She asked defensively.

"You can't come to Egypt." He said simply.

"Oh, here we go. This is _exactly _why I didn't tell you before." She replied.

"Elena, you're pregnant. You are not putting yourself or our child in danger." Nate said sternly.

"Nate, I'm only a month. I can still handle myself!" Elena said.

"What does that change anything…?" Nate said. "You're still pregnant! You'd put our unborn child in danger just so you can come with us on an adventure?"

"Oh, don't you take the high and mighty route Nate! You would do the same thing if you were in my position." She replied.

"I'm sorry if saving the world is kind of my thing!" He said.

"What's that supposed to mean? You gonna break your promise again after this is over?"

"I never said that! I already promised that I wasn't going to do this anymore so don't _you _take the high and mighty route!"

"It's not like you haven't broken it before!"

"I had a good reason!"

"Well maybe you should've considered your wife before making that decision without even talking to me about it first!"

"If we hadn't have done this, you wouldn't even be pregnant!"

"That is such a bullshit excuse Nate!"

"I have to say it really is…" Flynn said.

"Shut up Flynn!" They both said.

"I would be quiet if I were you…" Chloe whispered. Flynn nodded.

"I… just want to protect you honey. I… don't want you to get hurt again." Nate said.

"I know Nate…" Elena said. "But I just don't want you to go off somewhere without me, I… don't like leaving you alone. What if you get hurt again and I'm not there? What if you leave me all alone to raise our child…?"

"I wouldn't ever leave you alone intentionally Elena…" Nate said. "This whole thing is about protecting you… If Jason gets what he wants, then you and everyone else would live in a world where free will isn't possible. Where everyone looks up to him as if he's a deity. A world where being smart doesn't matter. I will not leave my child to that."

"I… I know Nate…" Elena replied. Nate pulled her close and she rested her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. "I don't want to lose you; I don't want our child to grow up without a father…"

"I won't let that happen." Nate replied. "How about this… you can come, but if I tell you to run, or if we get in danger, you run, you stay out of it…"

"Alright Nate…" She answered.

"Also, hey, if I almost drown when we're out at sea, you could always slap me to wake me up." He said grinning.

"It does seem to work pretty well doesn't it…?" She said. They kissed. Chloe sat there watching and sighed.

"You two are so good together…" Chloe said. Charlie sat down next to her and put his arm over her neck.

"Hey, don't forget about me huh?" He said.

"I wouldn't dream of it." She replied. They kissed to, and she giggled. "You can be so romantic when you want to."

"Okay, now that everyone's kissed and made up, in the back of Tom's dirty pickup truck I might add, can we maybe concentrate on where we're going?" Flynn asked.

"Shut up Flynn!" They all yelled at him.

"What did I get myself into?" Flynn asked. He sighed.

* * *

><p><strong>32 Hours Later<strong>

* * *

><p>"…this is your pilot speaking. Please fasten your seatbelts as we will be touching down in Cairo, Egypt in about five minutes. Remember to not unfasten your seatbelts nor stand up to get your carry-ons until the plane has come to a complete stop. Thank you for flying International Airlines, your choice for travelling between nations. Hurrah…"<p>

That was what Nate heard in the most droning and boring voice he had ever heard as he woke up in his seat.

"You know, this is the first time I've ever ridden first class." Nate said. "I have to say I like it."

"Welcome to the one percent Nate." Elena said. "That's what having a hundred million dollars stashed somewhere means."

"To bad we don't have it on us; we're going to have to ride coach back." He replied.

"We wouldn't have to ride coach if we had just taken my plane…" Sully said.

"Sully, those hard seats on the back of your plane are hardly comparable to riding coach." She said.

"I have to agree mate." Flynn said from beside Sully.

"Well maybe you can rub off some of your money on me and I can turn the thing into the luxury passenger plane you imagine." He replied.

"Sully, it was your own fault for not coming." Nate said.

"He's got a point mate." Flynn said.

"Well, I'm old. I didn't feel like it. Besides, you were making so much money that I could leech off of ya." Sully said.

"You are one cheap old bastard Sully." Nate said.

"Comes with the territory." He replied.

"Eh…" Nate replied. "Are Chloe and Charlie still asleep?"

He looked behind him and sure enough they were both still snoring away.

"Jesus, they were made for each other." He said.

"Hey, don't say that." Sully said. "I still have some hopes."

"Still a dirty old man I see." Nate said. Sully shrugged.

"That is just so wrong." Flynn said.

After the plane had touched down and they had roused Charlie and Chloe, as well as retrieved Tom from coach (as he had said he wanted to be alone), they purchased two Jeeps as well as a ton of supplies. After that, they rode for The Red Sea.

It took them a few days thanks to the hazards of the desert, but eventually they began to get close.

"Say, does anyone know what part of the Red Sea we're looking for exactly?" Flynn asked from behind Nate as he drove across the desert.

"No idea." Nate replied. He pulled out the letter from his pocket and looked at it. "I just know that it would be somewhere in Egypt, after all, that's where Moses crossed."

"Why can't these directions ever be more specific?" He asked.

"No idea." Nate answered. "You can take a look at it if you want, but be careful; it's one old piece of paper."

He handed it back to Flynn. He opened it and looked at it every which way he could, but could spot nothing else but the riddle.

"Guess we'll just have to trust that it leads us where it's supposed to then." Flynn said handing it back. But, as soon as Nate touched the letter, he hit the brakes and the skidded to a stop.

"What the hell Nate?" Elena asked.

"Ugh…" Nate replied. "Feeling really… woozy…"

"Are you alright?" Tom asked.

He was holding on extremely tight to the letter. The other Jeep flipped around and road over beside them.

"What's wrong?" Sully asked.

"I don't know…" Elena answered putting her arm over Nate's neck. He opened his eyes. "Oh, what the hell…?"

"That would be a good party trick mate, how are you doing that?" Flynn asked.

"Come off it… no way." Tom said.

"What's happening?" Charlie asked.

"What?" Nate asked looking at Elena. "What do you mean?"

"Nate, your eyes… their glowing…" Elena replied. He waved his hand in front of his eyes and saw it almost immediately.

"Okay, I have to admit, that's weird." Nate said.

"What's going on?" Sully asked. Nate looked over at them. "What the hell…?"

"That is really cool." Charlie said.

"Can't say I've ever seen anything like that before." Chloe said.

"Hey, Nate, try dropping the letter." Flynn said. Nate tried releasing the letter, but it felt like his hand was super-glued to it.

"I… I can't." He replied.

"Wait a second, do you feel like going in any specific direction?" Flynn asked.

"Now that you mention it, I am feeling pulled in that direction." Nate said pointing northeast.

"That's it! It's the letter guiding you to where we have to go." Flynn said.

"I think he's right, I'll let you take the lead Nate." Sully said. "We'll be right behind you."

"Alright." Nate replied. He shook his head until he wasn't feeling dizzy anymore then hit the gas.

They took a really roundabout route, but eventually closed in on the coast of the Red Sea.

"There!" Elena said pointing at the Sea. They pulled to a stop next to the shore and got out.

"Now what?" Sully asked.

"Follow me I guess…" Nate replied. He walked towards the Sea; nighttime was falling as his eyes were starting to be like flashlights in the dark. But as he approached the sea, his eyes started glowing even brighter. The closer he got to the water, the more the waves that beat the shore stopped in their tracks.

When he was finally just on the edge, the water started to repel away from him on both sides.

"Holy shit…" Nate said. "Uh, stay behind me guys; I guess we're going under."

He took a few more steps forward and the water parted on both sides to allow his passage.

"That's just…" Charlie started. But he found himself unable to complete the sentence.

"Kid, you're literally parting the Red Sea." Sully said.

"I can see that." Nate replied.

"That's impressive." Flynn said.

"I'm speechless back here boys." Chloe said. As they walked further forward and started to descend into the depths, two walls of water were on either side of them.

"This is insane." Elena said.

"I concur." Tom said.

"Um, are you sure we're safe down here?" Sully asked.

"No." Nate said. "But Moses didn't drown, so I guess we should be okay."

"Looks like I have something to tell your kid." Sully said. "So what exactly will I be…? We're not technically related but he or she'll be as close to my Grandkid as their going to get."

"Nate called you Uncle Sully earlier." Elena said.

"Well, you can choose what you want him or her to call you Sully." Nate replied.

"I like the idea of Grandpa Sully." He replied grinning.

"At least my kid will have a Grandfather." Nate said.

"I thought we'd gotten over this kid…" Sully said his face falling.

"I did, but that doesn't mean I'm just going to entirely forget about him." Nate replied.

"Okay, yea, sorry." Sully said.

"He was a good man, to ever forget about him would be disrespectful." Tom said.

"Shouldn't we be concentrating on the situation at hand?" Flynn said. "I know! I'll shut up."

"No, you're right." Nate replied.

"He is?" Elena asked.

"Yea, you never know whether or not my concentration is actually the thing keeping this water from drowning us." Nate said.

"Good point, everyone shut up and let Nate focus." Charlie said.

"Way to take charge." Chloe said looking at the walls of water fall above on both sides now.

"He's right, please shut up…" Nate said. Suddenly, his broken concentration caused a bit of water to pour down right on top of Flynn. He coughed as he was soaked.

"Oh, what the hell?" Flynn said.

"What about shut up do you not understand!" Tom hissed.

"Oops, sorry." Flynn whispered.

"I can really feel it now…" Nate said. "It feels like I'm holding up a weight or something… must be another test."

They kept walking all the same. On the way they looked through each side of the water and it was like being in a giant aquarium. There were all kinds of fish swimming by.

"Sorry, but that is just incredible…" Charlie said.

"Didn't know you were the marine life kinda guy." Nate said.

"Hey, everyone loves Marineland eh?" Charlie replied.

"What's Marineland?" Chloe asked.

"It's an American thing." Nate said. Charlie started humming the Marineland song. "Shut up Charlie…"

"Sorry mate." Charlie replied.

They kept going, and it became apparent that Nate was feeling like he was being crushed by the weight.

"Hey, what's that?" Sully asked pointing to the distance.

"It's a cave…" Chloe said. They increased their pace.

They reached it rather fast. It was aglow with blue lights from crystals all over the ceiling. When Nate finally walked inside, he suddenly cried out in pain as the letter felt like it was on fire and he dropped it. There was a glowing dust that seemed to be flowing into the letter from the crystals and the letter really started glowing.

"Well, at least you don't have to do that on the way back…" Tom said. They all started looking around.

"Is it just me or is there no Staff here?" Flynn asked.

"No, I don't see anything either." Elena replied.

"Everyone look around, it has to be around here somewhere." Nate said.

"It's not at all possible that someone's been here already?" Chloe asked.

"That wouldn't make sense." He replied. "They would first have to see the wooden Ark, and then find the Grail, then see the real Ark, grab the letter, take it here, grab the staff, leave and then put the letter back. Why wouldn't they take the Grail? The Ark is easy to explain, but why not the Grail? Also, why put the letter back where it was?"

"Good point." Chloe said.

"Wait, look at that rock." Tom said pointing to a large rock resembling a mountain in the middle of the room. "It's in the dead center of the room. No other rocks around. Seems like it's important."

Everyone turned to look as Nate approached it. All of a sudden, it seemed to come to life as gale force winds seemed to circle and throw dirt into the air. Trees came to life and tiny birds glided around it.

"Well, I be go to hell…" Sully said.

"That's really starting to get old… old man." Flynn said.

"As old as I am." Sully replied.

"Shut up, you're ruining the moment." Chloe said.

As suddenly as she said this, the mountain suddenly burst with blinding white light and they all blacked out.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was pretty fun to write. <strong>

**Anyways, chapters are going to be inconsistent. My internet is shut off right now and I am forced to upload at another person's house. Next chapter will come when I can get past my current writers block and find an upload point! Although it's too bad that my walkthrough videos for youtube on Uncharted DF and Uncharted 3 will have to wait until next month, *sadface***


	19. Chapter 19: Sinai

**I am prepared for the flames after this chapter!**

* * *

><p><strong>Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost<strong>

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 7th, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 19: Sinai<strong>

_"A dying man needs to die, as a sleepy man needs to sleep, and there comes a time when it is wrong, as well as useless, to resist." _**-Stewart Alsop**

* * *

><p>Nate groaned and slowly stood up. He looked around to find everyone else on the ground around him; they were in the midst of a small forest. He went over to Elena and helped her up.<p>

"Are you alright honey?" He asked.

"Yea, I'll be fine, check on the others." She replied. At that moment everyone else started to get up.

"Hey, are you all alright?" Nate asked.

"Yea, we're fine." Tom replied.

"It feels like my head just got beaten like a drum…" Flynn said.

"Where the hell are we?" Chloe asked.

"I have no idea." Nate said. "We were just a mile under the ocean, and now here we are."

"Nate, I have to say, this is the craziest thing we've ever done." Sully said.

"Well, looks like it's too late to back out of it now…" Nate said. "You tired Sully?"

"How many times do I have to say I'm old before it gets through that thick skull of yours?" He replied.

"You'll have to tell me a few more times, I didn't quite hear you." Nate answered grinning.

"Wise ass."

"As always."

"Well, shouldn't we look around or something?" Charlie asked.

"Yea, that does sound like a good idea." Chloe said.

"Well, alright then, but stick together." Nate replied.

They started walking through the forest. It was thick, but they navigated swiftly, and soon saw a light in the distance.

"Over there, looks like a way out." Tom said. Nate ran ahead and walked into the light covering his eyes with his hand. He almost walked right off an edge that lead to clouds below.

"Oh shit!" He said. Sully ran up and caught him around the waist.

"You alright kid?" He asked.

"Yea, I'm… whoa…" Nate said looking up. Standing there above them was the mountain that the rock had resembled.

"What is it…?" Sully asked looking at him. Nate pointed. "Holy shit…"

The rest of the gang walked up.

"Isn't that…?" Charlie asked.

"Yup… I'm pretty sure that is." Nate replied.

"But… that's impossible." Chloe said.

"So is half the stuff that's happened to us in this little journey of ours." Flynn said. "Honestly, this stuff doesn't even surprise me anymore."

"Well, being resurrected from the dead can do that to you. Still, what the hell is this place?" Tom asked.

"I think I know." Nate said.

"Well, spill it Nate." Elena said.

"There was a mountain that God called Moses to. It was called Mount Sinai." He replied. "I guess he left his Staff here."

"This is _worse _than looking for a bride in a brothel." Sully said.

"Well, something tells me we're not going to be leaving until we find the Staff. So you better get used to it Sully." Nate said.

"Heh, I was looking for a good vacation spot. But the lack of women will be really hard on me." Sully said.

"Yea, so difficult." Nate replied. "Anyways, if the Staff is anywhere, it's probably on the top of the Mountain. We should head up that way."

"Um, I don't know if you noticed this Nate, but this Mountain is _really _tall." Chloe said.

"Well, if you have another plan I would love to hear it." Nate said.

"Okay, guess you're right." Chloe replied.

"Good girl, now let's get going."

They started walking skimming the edges of the forest as to keep their bearings as they headed for the base of the mountain.

"It's odd…" Sully said.

"What?" Nate asked.

"There are all these plants around here, but no animals or wildlife of any kind…" He replied. There was a rustle in the bushes nearby. They all stopped.

"You just had to open your big mouth didn't you?" Nate asked.

Sully shrugged and grinned.

"I'm sure it was nothing... still, we should keep moving." He said.

"Sounds like a good idea, keep up everyone." Nate said.

They followed in his footsteps. Eventually, as they started getting close to the mountain, the forest got so thick that they weren't able to keep skimming the edges and had to go in deeper.

"Look, I don't know about all of you, but something is really… _off _about this place." Chloe said.

"I feel it to." Charlie said. "Stay close hun…"

"Yea, stick close to me to Elena." Nate said.

"You just had to copy me didn't you…?" Charlie mumbled. Nate rolled his eyes and didn't respond. Sully and Tom looked at each other.

"No." Tom said.

"I didn't even say anything." Sully replied.

"Yea, but I know what you were thinking… and no."

"Huh… what?" Sully wondered.

"Hey, I'll pair up with you mate." Flynn said sarcastically.

"Oh shut up and get a move-" Sully started to say. A branch above snapped from one of the trees near them and fell towards Charlie's head. They all looked up as this happened and saw a shadow dart to another tree before disappearing.

"Charlie look out!" Nate yelled. He went to tackle him out of the way, but Chloe grabbed his arm and threw him out of the way and to the ground as the huge branch slammed to the ground and threw up a cloud of dirt. This threw her off balance and forced her to fall on top of him.

"That hurt…" Charlie groaned.

"Don't be such a baby." Chloe replied.

"Sorry. Thanks hun." He answered.

"No problem love." Chloe said. "Perhaps we should get up before they think we're doing something naughty."

"Is everyone alright?" Elena asked coughing.

"Yea, we're fine." Chloe said standing up and pulling Charlie to his feet.

"Perhaps I should stick close to you." Charlie said.

"I wouldn't mind." Chloe said.

"Neither would I…" Charlie replied. She purred in response.

"Oh cut it out. We have a job to do remember?" Nate asked.

Chloe cleared her throat.

"Yea, um, sorry." Chloe said. "Let's keep moving hun."

"Wait a second; didn't anyone see that thing up in the trees?" Sully asked.

"Trick of the light?" Charlie said weakly.

"No, I don't think so. I didn't get a good look at it." Nate replied.

"Neither did I, we should be on our guard." Tom said.

They kept moving. They cautiously crept through the forest for several minutes. Suddenly, they heard a stick crack distinctly in the silence.

"What was that?" Charlie whispered.

"Don't be so dramatic, it was nothing. Keep moving." Nate replied. Suddenly, Sully snuck up behind Charlie.

"Boo." He said. Chloe and Charlie jumped. He laughed.

"That wasn't funny." Charlie replied.

"Ass." She said punching him on the shoulder.

"Oh come on, no scary monster is going to jump out of the forest and attack us." Sully said sniggering.

Just as he said this, there was a sudden rustle in the bushes and they all looked at it as a black beast unlike anything they had ever seen leaped from it and onto Charlie as he screamed in fright. It forced him onto the ground struggling against it as its teeth snapped at him.

"Holy shit!" Sully yelled as Nate and Tom rushed up to it and tried to pull it off.

It had a black as night mane like a lion and a toned black body. Its eyes were small slits of red and its steely white teeth were in contrast to the rest of it.

"Get this thing off of me!" Charlie yelled.

"We're trying!" Nate yelled back as it's snarling intensified and its teeth got ever closer to Charlie's face. It slobbered on his face as it did this.

"Oh man that is disgusting!" He yelled.

"This isn't working!" Tom said.

Chloe stepped up to its face as it snapped at Charlie.

"Get your stupid perfect white teeth away from my boyfriend!" Chloe screamed as she raised her pistol and fired. The bullet dinged as it struck its forehead and it bounced off of an armor plate. She jumped out of the way as the bullet smacked into a nearby tree.

Still the creature screamed in pain and jumped backwards off of Charlie.

"Thanks hun!" He said.

"No problem Charlie!" Chloe said.

"I think it would be a good idea to…" Sully started.

"Run!" Nate finished. They dashed away from it into the forest as it again focused its red eyes on them and rushed after them snarling. They all pulled out their guns and started shooting at it as they ran. The bullets that hit were bouncing off of it as its skin seemed to harden in response to their shooting.

"That wasn't in the bible!" Charlie yelled.

"This isn't working!" Chloe yelled.

"We need a new plan!" Elena yelled.

Tom pulled a grenade from his hip and pulled the pin and cooked the grenade before throwing it backwards at it. It exploded right in its face, but it dashed right through the cloud of smoke.

"Okay, I'm out of idea…" Tom said. "Got any other ones mates?"

"Just one!" Nate responded. He pulled a grenade from his own hip and ran back towards it yelling. They all skidded to a stop and flipped around as it jumped on top of Nate as he pulled the pin from the grenade. It tried snapped at him, but he shoved the grenade in its mouth. "Shoot it!"

The shot at it forcing it to back off of Nate as it started choking on the grenade.

"Kid, run!" Sully yelled. Nate jumped to his feet and starting running back towards them.

"Oh shit!" Nate yelled. It exploded behind him splattering blood across the trees which caused them to wither and die before turning to sand. He was thrown to the ground harshly with the shockwave.

"Kid, you all right?" Sully asked as he helped him up.

"Yea, I think I'm all here." Nate said. "Thanks Sully."

"Always there when you need me." He replied. Nate nodded.

"Well, if that's over we have a world to save." Charlie replied. "Let's just get out of this damned forest before we meet any of its friends."

"I agree with that." Nate answered.

They continued and finally got out of the forest. In front of them were white stone stairs.

"Well, that's convenient." Nate said.

"Ladies first…" Charlie said. "By that I mean you and Sully mate."

"Ha ha, very funny." Nate replied sarcastically. They started climbing the stairs.

The staircase looked quite old, and the vibrations of their footsteps sent stones tumbling into the empty space below, they kept close to the mountainside.

"Weren't there railings a couple thousand years ago?" Sully asked.

"I'm afraid not mate." Charlie replied.

"That's reassuring…" Sully answered.

Eventually, they came to a section where the stairs had fallen off and had to shimmy across the thin space left. There were a few sections where they were forced to jump across as well.

Sooner rather than later, they reached a place where a flat stone space had been previously been but had fallen into the depths. It was too long to jump, but a thin space was still attached the mountainside.

"That looks safe…" Sully said.

"Well come on you old dog, can't stop now." Nate replied. He stepped sideways onto the space and started shimmying across. Rocks tumbled down below them as Sully put his back to the wall and started scooting.

"I'm telling you Nate, this doesn't feel right." Sully said.

"Come on, we're almost there…" Nate answered. Suddenly, the part under Sully's feet cracked.

"Nate!" Sully said.

"Stay absolutely still." Nate said looking back.

"That's easy for you to-" Sully started, but then the space under his feet shattered and he fell downward before grabbing onto the ledge that hadn't broke with one hand. "Shit!"

"Sully! Hold on!" Nate yelled. He scooted back a few steps. Suddenly, the part Sully was holding onto shattered as well. His eyes widened as he scrambled to catch another section and missed. "No!"

Nate dropped down and grabbed hold of the ledge with one hand and grabbed Sully's hand.

"This doesn't look so good kid…" Sully said. Nate's hand slipped a little.

"You'll be fine Sully, just don't let go." He said. It slipped a little more.

"Eh… I don't think so." Sully replied. "If I keep holding on, we'll both fall."

"Sully, don't you even think about giving up on me!" Nate replied.

"Look, you remember what I said about my father. You remember what your father did for you. You raise that kid of yours good alright?" Sully said.

"Don't talk like that I'm getting you out of here!" He said. His hand was starting to sweat and slip off the ledge. Elena went to go step on the ledge to go and help. "Don't! This thing will fall with any more weight!"

She backed off.

"No kid, you aren't. You take care of the ones you care about alright? Or life is hardly worth living. I learned that when I found you on those streets more than twenty years ago." Sully said. "I learned it a bit late to make a difference though. You're my legacy kid, don't forget that."

A tear dropped from Sully's eye as he intentionally loosened his grip on Nate's hand. He just gripped harder.

"Sully! No!" Nate yelled. Sully reached up and undid Nate's hand, and he fell closing his eyes before disappearing beneath the clouds. "SULLY!"

Tears poured from Nate's eyes as he reached up with his other hand and pulled himself back up onto the ledge. The rest of the group just looked stunned and pale at the spot where Sully had disappeared. Elena started crying.

"Oh no…" She said. Nate punched the mountainside and caused blood to pour from his fist onto the stone.

"No…" He whispered. "NO!"

He finished shimmying to the other side and fell to his knees. Elena started to cross. He looked back and put his hand up.

"Don't! You'll fall to!" He yelled.

"It's fine Nate! As long as only one person crosses at a time we'll be fine." She replied taking a long step over the broken part and letting her own tears fall to the depths. As she stepped off the other side and ran to Nate's side, Chloe began crossing despite Charlie's protests.

Elena put her hands on Nate's side.

"He can't be gone… this… this can't be real…" Nate whispered.

"I'm sorry Nate… this is real… I am real…" Elena said. "We… we have to keep going. It's what he would have wanted… I just can't believe he's gone…"

"Shit!" Nate yelled. Chloe bent down next to him as well and Charlie started crossing fearfully.

"Don't look down…" He said repeatedly to himself. Elena helped Nate stand up shakily and bring him into a hug.

"Nate…" Chloe said. "I'm so… so sorry…"

"I'm sorry to…" Nate replied. "This… this was my fault. It was my job to keep you all safe, and I failed. I failed Sully, I failed my Dad… hell, I even failed Jeff."

"Nate, that is beyond your control. You didn't fail anyone, you did what you could." Elena said.

"I should've tried harder…" Nate said. "But that's enough. We have to finish this. For Sully, for my Dad…"

Tom was nearing the end of the ledge as well before the ledge suddenly gave out under him as it had done for Sully and he started falling.

"Well this is a sour development!" He yelled as he started downward. Nate jumped from Elena's hands and onto his stomach and caught Tom's hand.

"I am not losing any more fathers! Ever!" Nate yelled as they helped pull him upwards.

"Thanks mate…" Tom said. He hugged Nate. "I won't leave you."

"You better not." Nate replied. "Now we have an artifact to get."

Tom nodded and grabbed Nate's hand as he helped him up.

"For Harold…" Tom said.

"For Sully…" Nate replied. He turned away from Tom and kept scaling the stairs with tears dripping from his eyes that he wiped off. There would be time for tears later.

He needed someone or something to place the blame on.

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><p><strong>Yup, I killed Sully. Just understand that this is meant to fill in as the last game in the series… <strong>


	20. Chapter 20: The Staff

**Time for things to get interesting… I never thought I would actually say this about any of my stories, but we're approaching the end! Ten chapters max left to go.**

**Oh, and by the way, I must've renamed Tom at some point to the name Tom. In the sixth chapter, I referred to him as John (It rhymes, lol). I'll fix that as soon as possible, but yes they are the same person.**

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><p><strong>Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost<strong>

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 26th, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 20: The Staff<strong>

_"A God without dominion, providence, and final causes, is nothing else but fate and nature." __**-Alexander Pope  
><strong>_

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><p>The stairway continued for what seemed like forever as Nate struggled to keep Sully's face out of his mind so he could concentrate on the situation at hand. It wasn't working though, and every step he took seemed to be harder than the last. Luckily for him, Elena was there to squeeze his shoulder in reassurance whenever he needed it. He knew she was sad, but she knew he was feeling even worse than she was.<p>

After what seemed like ages, the top of the stairway was in sight as it cut straight towards the mountains center. He could see trees and grass in the distance.

"That… that looks important." Charlie said biting his lip. He felt that if he said anything in this atmosphere that he would get yelled at. Chloe was distraught as well, and he had been holding her hand the entire way up.

Tom seemed to be the only one able to focus the entire time. As Charlie gazed over at him, he seemed to come to a decision and ran up ahead of them and to Nate's side.

"It never goes away you know." Tom said. Nate didn't reply. "I've lost people before. It's something you need to get used to in the military. You lose friends, you lose family, and you lose countless strangers you never knew. Me… I found solace in the arms of the people I did save. For you… it must be harder. You're not military, and you've never saved people like I have."

"Yea, saving the world not once, but three times with no one knowing it is kind of a drag." Nate said. "I guess the glory would make it kind of easier…"

"It would… But you still have people who love you. I love you, your wife loves you, and your friends love you. Find solace in our arms… and after this is over, get out of this life for good." Tom said. "It's… not a life worth living…"

"Not without the ones you care about…" Nate said. "Sully told me that before he fell."

"Wiser words can never be heard." Tom said grabbing his shoulder.

"You tried to get out to, didn't you? With my Godmother…" Nate said.

"Yes, I did. I quit the CIA; I quit the SAS to for a time." Tom said. "I did that to be with her, but it didn't really matter in the end. I just couldn't stay away, and I got back in."

"It was my fault wasn't it?" Nate asked. "That was around the time the Templar's killed my Mom right?"

"Yes it was Nate… but don't blame yourself. I went back in because I knew I would be able to help Harold." Tom said. "We saved a lot of people from being prosecuted by the Templar's Nate, it was worth it."

He nodded and they kept walking. They reached the top of the stairs at this point and stepped into the grassy area. It was a mesa in the middle of the mountain, a flat space that represented the peak. Even though they were high in the air, the place was warm; the wind was gentle and rustled the leaves of the trees…

Flowers dotted the grass and also bent with the wind…

But even with all this beauty all around them, their eyes were drawn to one spot… a pedestal on top of a stone platform that held a long straight wooden staff.

"There it is." Tom said.

"Well go and grab it then, I'm sure we all want to get out of here." Charlie said. Nate nodded and walked through the grass and stepped up onto the top of the stone platform and up to the pedestal. He took a deep breath, and grabbed the staff with both hands. Nothing happened, so he flexed his fingers and pulled with all his might. At first, the Staff resisted his pull, and then it flew out and a white light almost blinded him.

He held the Staff back with one hand and covered his eyes with the other. Eventually, the light faded and he lowered his hand. His friends, his wife, and his Godfather were all gone. He was alone in a white world stretching in every direction. Suddenly, there was a man standing before him. He recognized him almost immediately, it was Talbot.

"What…?" Nate asked. He felt like he was hallucinating. It was almost like he had drunk the water of the Atlantis of the Sands again. "I killed you!"

"No, you didn't kill me." Talbot replied. He took a step to the right, the footstep echoing across the empty space.

"Yes I did!" Nate said.

Suddenly, Talbot transformed into Marlowe.

"You will find that one's form is oddly deceptive." She said continuing the circle that Talbot had started walking around him.

"Who… are you…?" Nate asked.

"I am everyone but no one, I am everything but nothing." She replied cryptically. She suddenly transformed into Sully.

"Sully…?" Nate asked.

"No, but he is another that joined me recently." He replied. He transformed into Lazaravic. "Do you need so many hints as to who I am? Or are you honestly that thick?"

"This… this isn't happening." Nate said. Suddenly, Lazaravic stopped in the walk started by those before him.

"On the contrary, this is happening. Sure, it is all happening in your head. But why does that have to mean it's not real?" Lazaravic said. He suddenly transformed into Eddy Raja. "Don't tell me you've become soft Drake…"

Nate said nothing for a few moments.

"But if all of this is happening in my head, why does it feel so real?" He asked. Eddy transformed into Atoq Navarro.

"Everything that happened on Mount Sinai was in your head. Your spirits struggled against the creatures that rested here. That does not mean that everything that happened in this place didn't happen, nor that the death was any less real." Navarro said. "Do you realize who I am yet?"

"No, I don't know." Nate said. Navarro transformed into Pinkerton.

"I am the true master of nature, of the heart, and of the mind."

"I don't know!"

"The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End…"

Nate fell to his knees.

"I don't…"

Suddenly, Pinkerton transformed into pure light.

"I am…" He started to say.

"God…" Nate said to himself.

Everything went black for a moment, as if someone had switched the lights out. Suddenly, Nate's eyes tore themselves open and he was staring at the stone ceiling of the sanctuary where they had been transported to the Mountain. He sat up, in front of him was the Rock, but it was no longer alive as it had been before.

Everyone else was getting up around him, except Sully. He was about to get up and rush to his side, when he realized the weight in his hands and he looked to find that he was holding Moses's Staff. Nate drew in a fast breath before shaking it off and running to Sully's side.

"Sully!" He shouted. "Sully, come on wake up!"

Sully did not awaken, and he had no pulse. He was dead. Elena grabbed his shoulder.

"He's gone Nate…" She said. "He's gone…"

He turned around and hugged her as the rest of the group stood and gazed at Sully's dead body. Chloe started crying and buried herself in Charlie's shoulder as he started wide-eyed. Tom just watched solemnly. Suddenly, there was a laugh from the entrance to the sanctuary. They all flipped around, and saw Jason Tepla.

"Is Victor feeling a bit under the weather?" He asked mockingly. "Did you honestly think you could escape me? Although, I must thank you Nathan for finding me the Staff. Now _give it to me_!"

Nate stood up, and he looked at Jason.

"This… this is your fault!" Nate yelled. The Staff seemed to get hot under his hands, and when he looked, it was on fire yet not burning him. "We would've never needed to find this damn thing if it weren't for you! My Dad would still be alive if it wasn't for you!"

"I don't care about your feelings or your thoughts! Give me the Staff Nathan or I will kill all of your friends!" Jason yelled back. Suddenly, Nate swung the Staff and a wave of fire erupted in Jason's direction causing him to jump out of the way.

"You… won't… touch… them!" Nate yelled punctuating every word with a Staff swing. Jason dodged every one of them though before rushing head on at Nate. He countered by sticking the Staff straight ahead and setting a jet of fire at Jason. His eyes widened and he covered his face with his arms before the fire struck him dead center. But instead of being burned alive, he was thrown backwards and into the wall as the fire was sucked right into the Grail on his chest.

Jason appeared just as confused at Nate was as he gripped the Grail on his chest.

"Looks like one of these Artifacts can't be responsible for the destruction of another…" He said. "That's convenient!"

Jason jumped up and ran towards Nate. He responded by knocking Jason back again with another jet of fire. But Jason struggled against the fire and kept walking against it. Nate tried to calm himself and the fire stopped, he guessed that the Staff responded to emotions. As he calmed himself, the water outside suddenly came to the Staff and wrapped around it.

Nate spun around swinging the Staff and sent a wave of water at Jason. This caused him to skid backwards a few feet. Before Nate managed to make another move, Jason leapt forward and grabbed the Staff in his hands. He got angry again at the Staff was aglow with fire, this burned Jason's hands and made him let go. Nate swung it at his head, but Jason ducked as the searing hot fire erupted through the space.

After that, Jason punched Nate in the gut causing him to drop the Staff. Then he stood up and knocked Nate to the ground with a right hook. Suddenly, Elena ran out of the group and jumped on Jason punching him.

"Get… your… hands… off… him!" She yelled punctuating each word with a punch.

"Get off of me!" Jason yelled. He grabbed her hands and threw her off of him and onto Nate. This knocked all the breath out of Nate.

"I'm sorry…" She said.

"It's alright…" Nate replied. She got off of him and he stood up, but it was too late. Jason grabbed the Staff and he laughed.

"The final piece of the puzzle is mine." Jason said. "As a gift from your new God, I will allow you to live… if you can escape before the Water drowns you."

He ran for the entrance and out of sight.

"No…" Nate said. "Shit!"

"We can't worry about him Nate!" Elena yelled. "He's going to use that Staff to drown us with seawater; we need to get out of here."

"Not without Sully!" Nate yelled. She grabbed him and held him still as tears poured from her eyes.

"Nate, we can't! We don't have time, if we don't get out of here now we're all going to die! You aren't going to do this again!" Elena yelled. Nate looked at Sully's body.

"She's right son! We need to move!" Tom said.

"C'mon mate, we need to leave." Charlie said.

It took him a moment, but he finally nodded and they all ran for the entrance that was now their exit. They all plowed through the entrance, but Flynn ran into an invisible barrier and could go no further.

"Mates! I… can't… get… out!" Flynn yelled. They all turned around.

"What are you talking about Flynn?" Nate yelled. "Let's go!"

Water was starting to pour downward from the waves towering above them. Flynn suddenly looked at something they all could not see.

"Just… just go…" He said without looking at them. "Go!"

"What are you talking about?" Nate asked.

"The wall… it says… it says "your fate rests in death"…" Flynn said. He looked back at them. "Just go!"

"We need to go now Nate!" Chloe yelled.

"I'm sorry…" Nate said. He flipped around and they all began running as the water collapsed into the place where they had just been. It kept collapsing as they ran.

"_I love you kid…" _

Tears poured from Nate's eyes as they just kept running. The noise of the waves seemed to be nonexistent.

"_Don't be a girl…"_

They were thrown forward as a wave washed over them from behind.

"_So it's a stalemate? We have one piece, and she has the other."_

Eventually, all they had to focus on was running. They saw the beach in the distance.

"_I pick more than my nose my friend…" _

They all collapsed exhausted onto the beach and into the sand. Harold's face popped into Nate's head.

"_I was never a drunk! It was a lie Nate; it was a lie to protect you!"_

"I've had enough lies…" Nate said to himself.

"Then we can help you." A female voice said from behind them. They all leaped up and flipped around drawing their guns. A woman in all black was standing there leaning up against the jeep and raising an eyebrow at them.

"Who the hell are you?" Chloe asked.

"A friend." She said. "Put your guns down and I can explain."

They all looked at Nate, and he nodded as she appeared to be unarmed and not hostile.

"Good. Now, I understand that Jason now has all three of the Artifacts. I'm from an organization called the Seekers of the Lost, and we can help you get them back."


	21. Chapter 21: Lost and Found

**News flash: According to Grimm I based the Jason off of myself! That means I'm going to be coming to a town near you to hunt down ancient artifacts so I can take over the world! Come see me so I can enjoy making my men shoot you and watch you bleed to death! Fun! (Note: This is a joke.)**

* * *

><p><strong>Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost<strong>

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 26th, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 21: Lost and Found<br>**

_"Then he drew his sword Excalibur, but it was so bright in his enemies eyes that it gave off light like thirty torches." **-Thomas Malory**_

* * *

><p>"How do you know about Jason? How do you know about the artifacts?" Nate asked.<p>

"Please, one question at a time." She replied sarcastically. "Anyways, I think that explaining in this environment lacks the appropriate cinematic flair."

She walked around and got into a third jeep that Nate guessed she had driven up in. At normal times, Nate would've cracked a joke about how the vehicle seemed to lack the appropriate cinematic flair for her, but these were not normal times.

"Hey, where are you going?" Charlie asked.

"Follow me, and you'll find out." She responded before starting the jeep and driving off.

"You're getting worse at this love." Chloe said. "You didn't even get her name, let alone her number."

"Well then let's go try again." Nate replied. He climbed into the front seat of one jeep as Chloe climbed into the other. Elena climbed in the passenger as Charlie jumped into the other. Tom jumped in the back seat of the other jeep as well. Nate started the jeep and zoomed off after the woman.

They drove across the desert for hours before seeing a canyon in the distance. They entered it, and inside they found a large stone building.

"That building doesn't exactly scream Egypt." Elena said.

"That's because it's English architecture." Nate answered. The woman drove into a small dirt parking lot alongside a group of other vehicles and stopped. They followed and parked.

"Glad I didn't lose you ladies and gentlemen." She said swinging her keys around her fingers as she walked by.

"Not a chance." Nate said switching off their jeep. He looked at Elena and she looked at him and shrugged before they got out. They followed the woman into the building. Just as she did this, Elena seemed to get a little dizzy and lean against the wall. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine Nate." She replied. "Just… where's the bathroom? I think I'm gonna throw up."

"It's through there Mrs. Drake." The woman said pointing at a small door on the left side of the foyer and by the empty desk. The large double doors they entered through slammed shut as Chloe, Tom, and Charlie walked through. Elena rushed through the small door and out of sight.

"What's with her?" Charlie asked.

"She's pregnant nimrod." Chloe said flicking him on the forehead.

"Ouch, what was that for?" Charlie replied rubbing his forehead.

"You can be seriously thick sometimes love…" Chloe said.

"Ignore them." Nate said. "Okay, we're here. Enough cinematic flair for an explanation yet?"

"Not yet…" She said. She turned around and walked to another set of double doors and opened them. Inside was a huge library stacked with books. A colored glass window with a picture of Jesus was in the far back, but since it was pushed against the canyon side it was darkened. The library was lit with a ton of candles and oil lamps. People reading in silence and walking about searching through the books were all over, but there still weren't that many of them… perhaps twenty at most.

"Whoa… that's a load of books." Tom said. "I could spend hours in here…"

"I didn't figure you for a reader Tom." Nate said.

"Guilty pleasure." He responded shrugging. Elena came through the double doors looking a bit dazed and went to Nate's side.

"Are you sure you're alright?" He asked.

"Yea… yea I'm fine." She answered.

"If you're sure." He replied.

"Okay, now that everyone is here…" She said and stretched her arms to her sides. "I present to you one of the five Libraries of God."

"The five what?" Nate asked.

"Libraries of God." She repeated. "They are meeting places for members of the Seekers of the Lost."

"Just what is your organization?" He asked.

"We're a splinter group of the Templar's. Our objective is to find lost religious objects and protect them from harm… and to stop the Templar's from conquering the world." She said. "As you can see, our interests are very much aligned."

"What about you? Who are you?" Tom asked.

"I am one of the Administrators of our organization." She said.

"You said you could help us get the artifacts back, how?" Nate asked.

"First of all, I can provide you with some information." She said. "Contrary to your believe, Jason is not yet the victor of this game. He does not have control over all three artifacts."

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked. "He's got the Ark, the Grail, and the Staff. That sounds like three to me."

"Yes, he has them in his possession. But he doesn't have control over the Ark." She replied. "He still can't use it, so there is still hope."

"Why doesn't he have control?" Elena asked.

"Because he deludes himself into thinking his goal is one of a pure heart. The Ark, according to the sacred texts, does not instantly grant its power to the one that holds it like the other two." She said.

"Sacred texts?" Tom asked.

"Ah, yes, you wouldn't know about that." She said. "The three sacred texts were found by the Templars shortly after their dissolution when they were cleaning out their meeting places. They had been there the whole time, and they didn't notice. The sacred texts are three books that tell the story of the three sacred artifacts; these artifacts are objects that God himself saw fit to imbue with his power so that worthy mortals could use them.

"Hidden within those books along with tales of the powers of the artifacts was a puzzle that led one to the wooden Ark of the Covenant. The Church of our Lady Mary of Zion is one of the primary churches that serve the current iteration of the Templars, and the books were kept there. Jason solved the puzzle after long years of study, and he brought the wooden Ark there. Unfortunately, even as he was able to decipher the complex puzzle hidden in the text, he was not able to see what was right in front of him as your father did when he looked at the pictures of the fake tablets in the wooden Ark.

"Jason had been looking for a long while, and you led him to the Grail… and well, you know the rest."

"So your saying that if we had never went and found the wooden Ark, none of this would have even happened. My Dad… and Sully… would still be alive?" Nate asked.

"You should really not let yourself get lost in speculation Mr. Drake." She said. "Besides, he would've figured it out eventually, and he would've been able to find the three without your resistance. Your presence merely accelerated things."

"Was my Dad one of you?" Nate asked.

"Yes, he was. He was one of our best spies, and… a very dear friend of mine." She said. Nate nodded.

"Hey, this is really nagging at me so I'm just going to say it… what's your name anyways?" Charlie asked.

"Well, I have been that rude haven't I? My name is Clara, Clara Hopkins." She said.

"What about the Ark?" Nate asked. "You said he didn't have control of it because the Ark doesn't instantly grant power… but what does one have to do to gain control of it?"

"One's goal must simply be of pure heart." Clara said. "But unfortunately, even if his goal is not of pure heart, he has one other way to do it."

"What?" Nate asked.

"Did any of you happen to touch the chest at which point it glowed?" She asked.

"Yes, I did." Nate said. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"The Ark deemed your goal pure of heart." She said.

"I'm hardly pure of heart lady." He replied.

"You don't have to be pure of heart Mr. Drake, your goal merely needs to be. Besides, I've heard of you. The treasure hunter for hire that has morals, I think you're more pure of heart then you care to admit." Clara said. "That's not the point though, the point is that you touched the chest and unlocked its power."

"Why is that bad?" Tom asked.

"It's bad because once someone unlocks the Ark's power; it is with them until they die. They can use it whenever they want to regardless of their distance from it." She said. "It's bad because since he has that power, Jason can challenge him to a one on one duel of blades, and if he wins, the power is his."

"Wait, I can use the Ark right now?" Nate asked.

"Yes, but why would you need to? Everyone here is already committed to you, including myself." She said. "That's the problem with it having control over the heart, if the person is more rational like I am, then they still have free will."

"I wouldn't use it anyways…" Nate said. "Forcing a person to love you is wrong."

"That is why the Ark is the most powerful of the three, it has a power not even God himself has. The power to control free will." She said. "According to the sacred texts, when he imbued that power upon the Ark, he gave up that power because he realized that even though free will was a sin in the beginning… it turned into something good. Every person is a God unto himself, and thus the power to control that will is evil."

"Then it's simple, all Nate needs to do is never accept the challenge for a duel." Tom said. "Then he can never have control over the Ark."

"But Mr. Drake will accept anyways, am I correct?" Clara asked. Nate nodded.

"Nate, what are you talking about?" Elena asked.

"Sully's death was his fault, and he killed Dad. I can't just let him walk free!" Nate responded angrily. "If that is the only way I can get him to give me a fair fight, then he can have his duel!"

"No Nate, I won't let you!" She replied.

"No, Nate has to fight him anyways." Tom said. "Jason still has the Grail and the Staff. He cannot just be allowed to walk around with that kind of power!"

"Yes, so the only problem with Nate fighting Jason is that Nate is no swordsmen." Clara said. "He has never fought with a sword in his entire life as far as I know, and I know quite a bit."

"Well, I fenced a bit." Nate said.

"That doesn't really qualify as swordsmanship." Clara responded. "Jason has been training with a sword his entire life; he would tear you to shreds. But I have a solution."

"Oh, and what would that be?" Nate asked.

"Excalibur." Clara replied.

"Like the sword?" Charlie asked.

"Yes like the sword." Clara answered.

"What about it?" Nate asked.

"I happen to have it." Clara said. "It has an ability that will even the odds a bit."

"What?" Nate asked.

"The ability to give the wielder all of the skill if King Arthur. It will be as if you've trained with a sword your entire life as well." She said.

"That will even the odds." Chloe piped in.

"Okay then, give it to me." Nate said.

"Ah! Not so fast Mr. Drake. If you want Excalibur, I need you to do something for me to." Clara said.

"What?" He asked.

"Jason has returned to the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion and brought all three artifacts with him. When you defeat Jason, I want you to retrieve the sacred texts, all three of the sacred artifacts, and the wooden Ark and give them to me." Clara said.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because, as I said, my organization is interested in finding and preserving religious artifacts. We can also stop the Templar's from finding them and trying to put them to their own use ever again." Clara said.

"You have a deal." Nate said.

"There is one other problem here." Tom said.

"Oh, and what would that be?" She asked.

"What about the Templar's? We cannot just let them keep abusing their power to keep the world in check!" He said.

"Ah, but my organization was on the brink of taking the Templar's down before Jason seized the artifacts. We have been biding our time, placing people who serve us throughout the governments of the world. But when Jason started collecting the artifacts, we were prevented from making our move." She said. "Once you have taken down Jason, they will be weakened as our people all simultaneously move in. We will have the countries of the world file a permanent suspension of business decree to the public face of the Templar's, Paradigm Industries.

"After that, their stock prices will drop and their primary source of income will be in the gutter. They will be unable to pay all of the people they bribe, and the assassins they fund. We will take control over all of their assets and ease the governments of the world into an era of free will. Then, we will hire the Templar's own assassins and send them to kill the Templar's Board of Directors, which all have a piece of the Templar's monetary legacy inside of their personal bank accounts. This totals more than five-hundred trillion US dollars.

"After they've been killed, we will seize the monetary legacy and distribute it equally among the world's governments. The Templars will be finished." Clara said. "Does that satisfy you?"

"Um… yea, actually." Tom said.

"It will also be done in a way that preserves the backbone of the Templar's and thus stops the world from descending into chaos because of their disappearance. We will slowly release the Templar's assets after we take control of them so that the world can gradually get used to life without their interference." Clara said.

"Okay then, where's Excalibur?" Nate asked. Clara grinned and walked to a bookcase on the right and pulled a few specific books down. She then went to the other bookcase, and did it again. Then she placed the books in a pile on the center of a table in the middle of the room and stepped back. A set of stairs opened up to a basement.

"While we have many artifacts, the Egyptian one holds plenty of rather dangerous ones. The top floor of the basements only has Excalibur, we won't be going lower. Try to do so at hazard to your own health." She said. "Follow me."

They followed her down into a long well-lit white hallway. They passed several staircases before reaching a vault at the end. She keyed in a code and stood back as the large door opened. Inside was what appeared to be a sword wrapped in a cloth. Clara tenderly lifted the sword out of the vault and unwrapped it.

The hilt was made out of the deepest gold, and was encrusted with diamonds, topazes, and emeralds. But they were pressed into the hilt to make it still easy to hold and swing. The guard was curved and also made out of gold with a silver top. The blade was hidden by a deep black leather scabbard that was encrusted with rubies. Clara offered the blade to Nate, and he gripped the hilt.

His eyes seemed to glow for a moment as he drew it. Words were engraved onto both sides of the blade. One said: _The worthy fight. _The other said: _The unworthy fall dead. _

They all stood back as Nate tested the swords weight. He then swung it and went into a complex rhythm of slashes and stabs before finishing with a spin.

"Um… looks like it worked." Nate said.

"It did, if it hadn't, you would've cut your own head off with a combo like that." Clara said. Nate sheathed the blade inside the scabbard and took it out of Clara's hand before buckling it to his belt.

"Thank you." He said.

"It was my pleasure, now take these first-class tickets to Ethiopia and go kick his ass." Clara said. "That bastard killed my brother and my parents."

Although unexpected, he took the tickets and nodded. They all followed him as he walked back up the stairs and to the jeeps.


	22. Chapter 22: Endgame

**Here we are my friends… the end of the story is approaching! I'm going to go ahead and squeeze the rest of the story into these next two chapters just so I can say I'm finished! HURRAH! (Not that there was much left to talk about)**

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><p><strong>Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost<strong>

**By Obrusnine**

**Last updated: July 26th, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 22: Endgame<strong>

_"If there's not any endgame, we're in quicksand. We take one more step, and we're still there, and there's no way out." **-Richard Shelby**_

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><p>Nate stood solemnly in the plane that Sully had worked his ass off to reconstruct. He'd painted it red and fixed up the junker into actually a rather nice plane. In fact, it was almost exactly the same as the one he and Elena had crashed four years prior. He was sad now. He was sad that Sully had died, and that he'd not been able to stick around for the birth of his first child. The others were eating a meal inside the Cumbria military base, one last dinner before they entered Jason's Endgame.<p>

He looked back, and through the window, and he knew he was going to have to leave them behind. He would lose no one else to Jason's madness. He had Excalibur, and that was all he would need to take Jason down. The plane was refueled and ready to go and the key was in the ignition. They had stashed the money here, thinking it was the safest place. He grabbed the suitcases and put them silently down on the runway. Then he climbed back into the plane and shut the door. He unbuckled Excalibur from his belt and stashed it in the empty Stinger case in the back.

He climbed into the cockpit and sat down in the pilot's seat. He flexed his fingers and he took a deep breath. He made a commitment to himself that no matter what, he would live through this night. He would live to see his child's birth, and he would live to raise that child in a world where freedom was possible. He reached down with his right hand and turned the key, the propeller whirred into motion and Nate eased up on the throttle. He gazed to the right and saw everyone rush off the table and outside, yelling for him to stop.

He ignored them and steered straight ahead. When he had reached sufficient speed, he pulled back on the stick and into the sky.

"Treasure Flight, this is SAS O-" Tom started to say over the radio.

"Nate, what the _hell _are you doing?" Elena shouted. He switched off the radio, and then he grabbed his cellphone and turned it off before throwing it onto the passenger seat.

There was a reasonably long flight after that before he managed to set down at the Ethiopian airstrip his father had owned. By instinct, he scanned the skies for a drone, but saw nothing. When he had landed, he grabbed Excalibur and jumped out. The white van they had arrived in still sat there, and he retrieved the keys from a rack inside the small building. He used the keys to get into the van and start it up, and then he drove towards the Church with the sword between his legs. The sky darkened as he drove, and the gas tank hit empty. He got out of the back and refilled from a gas can before hitting the road again.

Time seemed to go in slow motion as the church crested over the horizon and the van tumbled down the hill. He drove right up to the front door and got out. Then he grabbed Excalibur and buckled it to his belt.

"Jason!" Nate yelled. "Don't you want to duel?"

The gate tumbled open and ten gunmen with Templar uniforms charged out, ran up to him, and slammed him to the ground.

"Geez, what happened to being gentle?" Nate asked with his face in the dirt. They handcuffed him and gagged him before pulling him to his feet. He was then guided inside with a forceful hand and brought to a room. Standing on top of an altar was the Ark of the Covenant, and on his knees before it was Jason holding the staff in his right hand.

He stood and turned about.

"Take the gag out of his mouth." He said. They pulled out the gag, and Nate spat a bit to get the taste out. "Well, hello Nathan. It took rather longer for you to come seek retribution then I thought."

He started stepping down the steps from the altar.

"Although I have to say I didn't expect for you to traipse up in such a… grandstanding manner for lack of a better word."

"More then you deserve ass hole." Nate said.

"Watch your tongue Nathan…" Jason said sarcastically. He clicked his tongue, shook his head, and shook his finger as if he were scolding him. "You're in a church after all, and standing before your God."

"You're not God yet Jason. You don't have control of the Ark yet!" Nate said. "You said it yourself; you have to complete the trinity before you're God."

"How do you know I don't have control over it?" Jason asked.

"Because I do!" Nate replied. Suddenly, he concentrated on the two Guards around him. His eyes glowed, and then their eyes. They released his arms.

"I'm sorry!" They said. They unlocked his handcuffs and rushed Jason with their guns held high. Jason grabbed the Grail around his neck.

"Stand still." Jason said. Then he pulled out a pistol and shot both of them in the head. "Tsk tsk… such unreliable help these days. What I want to know is how you knew you had that power…"

"Haven't been reading the sacred texts lately Jason?" Nate asked.

"How do you know about that?" He asked angrily raising his gun.

"If you kill me, then you won't be able to duel me and you'll never get the power of the Ark!" Nate replied.

"Ah… You must've been in contact with a Seeker… Only one of them ever knew about the texts. Clara… you conniving little bitch." Jason said to himself. "But she was right about one thing, the duel."

He threw his gun to the floor next to Nate and grabbed a sword from a nearby table. Using one hand, he buckled the scabbard of it to his hip and drew the sword. After that, he flipped the sword over so it was facing upwards.

"Why don't you stop this?" Nate asked.

"Why would I do that?" Jason asked.

"The Ark deemed you unworthy of its power. Why don't you just accept defeat… accept that you aren't worthy to be God…" Nate said.

"Oh, and you are?" Jason asked.

"I'm damn closer then you are." Nate responded. "God is supposed to be compassionate, and you are anything but."

"The Ark doesn't think I'm unworthy… it wanted to challenge me… it wanted me to proof it!" Jason said.

"You're deluding yourself!"

"Whatever… draw your sword. I'm assuming the Seekers gave it to you. I doubt they'd believe in such a simpleton, it's probably a cheap knockoff… It's what I would give you."

Nate drew his sword from the scabbard and gripped it firmly in both hands. He turned the side that said "_The worthy fight._" towards himself, and the other towards Jason.

"They… they didn't…" Jason said.

"Yes they did, this is Excalibur." Nate replied.

"No! It's a knockoff! Your tiny bit of fencing in your past does nothing here!" Jason yelled. He sprinted at Nate with the sword in one hand and the Staff in the other. It was glowing red with fire, representing Jason's rage.

Nate simply stood still, and when the sword came towards him he spun Excalibur and knocked the sword of the way before spinning in the other direction. The sword blow knocked straight into the Staff and didn't seem to have any definitive effect. But his slice continued before Jason stopped it with the sword.

"Are you so sure it's a knockoff now?" Nate asked.

"Fine… maybe it is the real thing! But only a coward fights with skills that aren't his own." Jason said.

"Only a coward kills innocent people for his own gain!" Nate yelled back.

Jason dropped the Staff lower and below Nate's blade before swinging it from the bottom at his feet. A wave of fire covered the ground, but he managed to jump and kick Jason in the chest before landing on the ground after the fire had dissipated.

"Try dodging this!" Jason yelled. He sent a fireball right at Nate, who managed to sidestep it. Then he sent a deluge more. Nate sidestepped a few more and then cut through another few more. But there were just too many for Nate to keep check of, and one hit him dead center in the chest. But suddenly, Nate glowed and the fire dissipated.

"This is supposed to be a duel of blades Jason; the Ark won't let you cheat." Nate said. Jason threw the Staff to the ground and rushed at Nate. He managed to block the blow and elbow Jason in the face. "You have skill, but even I see that you're to overconfident."

"You don't even know what you're talking about!" Jason yelled. They stood toe-to-toe and exchanged several blows. Finally, Jason got one through Nate's guard, but he ducked and went to stab Jason in the gut. Jason blocked it on the flat of his blade and kicked Nate's face. He flew backward and onto the ground. Jason tried to stab Nate with a downward stab, but he rolled out of the way and the sword hit the floor.

Nate jumped up and slashed at Jason as he struggled to pull the sword free. He just managed to before the sword cut through his neck and blocked the blow. Then blocked the next spinning slash Nate sent at him and kicked Nate in the back. He did a downward stab at Nate again, and again Nate rolled out of the way. Jason managed to stop himself this time and followed up with a left slash.

This forced Nate to back up onto the stairs to dodge before stepping back down and retaliating with a stab that Jason blocked. Knowing that he couldn't let Nate keep the high ground, Jason stepped to the left and climbed up a stair as Nate had done. They exchanged several blows and ascended the stairs a bit. Then Nate stabbed and Jason grabbed his blade in mid-air and held on before stabbing at Nate. He copied Jason's action by grabbing his blade, and they threw each other around by their blades. Nate went flying down the stairs to the left and Jason went flying down to the right.

Nate landed right on top of the Staff before rolling. He picked up the Staff and sent a jet of fire right into Jason's chest. This threw him backward and let Nate drop the Staff and rush Jason with a stab.

Jason managed to block just in time with a spin of the blade and punched Nate onto the ground. Nate backed up as Jason went to stab him through the neck. When he missed, Nate tried to swing it at Jason, but Jason knocked the sword out of his hand and to the ground.

"It looks like Clara forgot to mention that you need at least some talent in sword-play to reach full potential with Excalibur. I will make sure to take that blade and use it for decoration above my fireplace… alongside your head!" Jason said. He slashed and made to cut Nate's head off. But suddenly, the door exploded and both Jason and Nate were thrown backwards. Nate hit the bottom of the stairs, but Jason flew much higher and slammed right into the Ark before sliding downwards.

They both coughed as the smoke dissipated. Suddenly, Tom, Chloe, Charlie, and Elena charged in holding M4's and pointing them at Jason.

"Guys… what the hell are you doing here?" Nate asked.

"Saving your ass mate." Charlie said.

"I watched the entire fight with infrared vision." Tom said tapping a goggle over his left eye. "I had C4 rigged to the door, and when I saw Jason was about to win I blew it up."

"What were you thinking Nate? This is not some personal vengeance mission! I loved Sully to!" Elena said.

"I didn't want to lose anyone else to this!" Nate replied. "I'm still not, lower your guns! This is my fight!"

They all looked at each other.

"But Nate…" Chloe said.

"No buts." Nate said.

Tom nodded and they lowered their weapons.

"Oh, and Tom for your information, I let him knock my sword out of my hand on purpose!" Nate said. "I was going to grab his legs with mine and trip him up to stab his sword into the floor, allowing me to take my sword and stab him."

"Um… oh." Tom said. "Sorry."

"This is not over!" Jason yelled. He grabbed the Grail and stared at Nate's friends. "Kill him!"

Suddenly, without thinking they all raised their guns at him.

"No." Nate said. His eyes glowed, and so did there's, and they dropped their guns.

"What?" Jason asked. Nate turned to look up at him.

"If the artifacts can't destroy each other, I guessed that they also probably both wouldn't work on the same person if two different people control them. Looks like I was right." Nate said. "Now that's enough of this, come down here and let's finish this! No swords, no artifacts, just us!"

"Fine with me." Jason said. He tore off the little of his shirt that remained from the explosion, tore off the Grail and threw it to the ground, and walked down the stairs. His friends stepped back as they took fighting stances in front of one another. But suddenly, Nate saw a flash in his eyes and he grabbed Excalibur from the ground before swinging it at Elena.

"No!" Nate yelled charging at him. But Tom dived, grabbed his M4, swung it upward and shot Jason through his hands forcing him to drop the sword and scream in pain.

"You don't _touch _my Goddaughter-in-law you son of a bitch!" Tom said. Jason dropped to his knees looking at his hands which had a hole the size of a quarter through them and were bleeding profusely. "Um… Goddaughter-in-laws do exist right?"

They all shrugged. Jason screamed again. Charlie kicked him in the head.

"Shut up will ya mate?" He asked.

"This isn't over!" Jason yelled.

"Yes it is Jason, enough is enough. The Templars, and you, are finished." Nate said. He walked over and grabbed the Staff off of the floor. Then he ascended the stairs and he grabbed the Grail. His eyes suddenly glowed as the intense power of all three artifacts was concentrated into him, and he took a deep breath.

"He… he's God now." Jason whispered. "I… I wasn't worthy…"

"I'm not God Jason." Nate said. "Just a man… a man with too much power."

He set the Grail down in the center of the floor. He went to a closet nearby, and he found a sledgehammer inside. He set the Staff down, and he picked it up with both hands.

"What are you doing?" Jason asked angrily. "_What are you doing?_"

"I'm destroying it so no one can ever use it again." Nate said. He lifted the sledgehammer far above his head, and he slammed it down onto the Grail. It exploded in a flash of light into thirty large pieces that scattered across the floor. He grabbed a pouch from his back pocket and collected these pieces into it. Then he stashed the pieces in his back pocket. "No one else can use the Ark already, so the Seekers can have it. I'll saw the Staff in half and give the other to the Seekers."

"But Nate, you said you would give them the artifacts. This won't go over with them well will it?" Elena asked.

"I don't give a damn." Nate said.

"I agree with Nate, no one should have this kind of power." Chloe said. "It's not right, and it's not natural."

He proceeded to pull open a drawer and found three small books. He flipped them open; they were written in Old English and were about the Ark, the Holy Grail, and Moses's Staff. He stuffed the three books into his other back pocket and came down the stairs.

"Elena, I've had a long day." Nate said. "Why don't we take a walk before we haul this shit into the back of the van and haul up the fragile ass wooden Ark."

She smiled at his bluntness.

"I wouldn't want it any other way." She replied. He took her hand and started to walk back out into the hallway. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of Nate's head stood up. He flipped around drawing his pistol and shot Jason in the center of the head. He had grabbed the pistol off of the floor and was trying to shoot Elena with it. He collapsed dead on the ground.

"Why do they never just give up?" Nate asked.

"They don't know how mate." Charlie replied.

"Come on Nate, I think I could use a walk to." Elena said.


	23. Finale

**Oh I'm all giddy! This is the end! It's finally over! It's my first ever finished story, makes me feel all giddy. Oh wait, I just said that! Sorry, I'm just happy. Anyways, when you review this chapter, please take the entire story into account. I still can't believe it's over… haha**

**Remember to follow me as an Author and Favorite this story! I am going to be writing another Uncharted story that takes place 22 years after this. There is also another collection of stories I'm going to write before that which is a collection of moments to make you care about newer characters that are introduced in that story!**

**Uncharted: Seekers of the Lost**

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><p><strong>By Obrusnine<strong>

**Last updated: July 26th, 2012 fD**

**(ED: Basic Edit / RW: Rewrite / fD: First Draft / FD: Final Draft)**

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><p><strong>Finale<br>**

_"It's weird... you know the end of something great is coming, but you just want to hold on, just for one more second... just so it can hurt a little more." __**-Unknown**_

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><p>Nate and Elena walked hand in hand along the side of the lake outside of the Church.<p>

"So… what are we going to name our baby?" Elena asked.

"You're asking me?" Nate asked.

"Well, I couldn't think of anything else to talk about. Besides, you just saved me from Jason; I think you deserve a reward. So pick one, huh?" Elena said grinning.

"Um… okay. Well… how about we name it Iria if it's a girl… or Harry if it's a boy." Nate said. "Off the top of my head of course."

"No, they're good names." Elena answered punching him softly on the shoulder. "I'm… just glad all of this is over."

"I never thought I would say this, but I am to." Nate replied. He put his hand on Elena's stomach and rubbed gently. "I can't wait to see who you become…"

Elena put her hand on top of his.

"I can't wait either."

They smiled at each other for a moment before Nate removed his hand from her stomach and put his arm over her shoulder. She leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I love you…" She said.

"I love you to." He said.

"You know, I just remembered something."

"What?"

"We have to get re-married."

"Huh…?"

He looked taken aback and looked at her.

"Well what… did you think sliding your wedding ring back on counters the divorce papers?"

"Wow, I completely forgot about that." Nate said blinking. "But… I won't let Chloe ruin it this time I promise."

"Well, she ruined the main event; it was still quite… pleasurable… afterwards." She said.

"Yes, I did cheer you up didn't I?" Nate said.

"Still, it would be nice if she didn't bust in saying objection and then pulling out a _gigantic_ wine bottle. That was _so _embarrassing." Elena said covering her face with her hands.

"I'll make sure to tell her to wait this time, I promise." He said. "Cross my heart and…"

"Don't even say it, you scare me." She said.

"Hey, I haven't died yet."

"How am I supposed to know, you've gotten so close so many times."

"Never again. I'm tired of it… all of it. I lose Sully; I lose my Dad… all because I couldn't give up this stupid life." Nate said. "But now I realize what's really important, and I'm never going to give it up again."

They sat in the grass and gazed across the lake at this point.

"You know, what are you going to do now?" Elena asked. "We're rich, so labor heavy jobs aren't something you really need to get into."

"I guess I could be a cop… It would have a certain irony to it." Nate said.

"Something that doesn't leave me worried please?" Elena asked.

"Well, there's plenty. I could cook…" Nate started. Elena broke out in a fit of giggles. "What?"

"You couldn't cook if your life depended on it." She said. Nate smirked.

"Fine, I could uh… well write." Nate said.

"About what?"

"All this I guess. I sure have a lot of stories to tell."

"Not that they would believe you."

"I would make them. I could also do some art, I've always been really good about then."

"You have always been pretty good at that…" Elena said.

"Or, I could try my hand at being a journalist. I can see it now, the Elena and Nate show…" Nate said swinging his hand through the air. Elena laughed. "It could happen…"

"Why don't you try something a little more stable cowboy? I don't think we can exactly fly around looking into cool stuff with a kid around." She said.

"Hey, it would be a good learning experience." He said.

"No Nate."

"Fine then, writing and art it is. Geez, way to restrict me."

"Restrict my ass. We have a hundred million dollars; you kind of need the boundaries."

Nate grumbled.

"Now, I want to ask you… What is the thing your most afraid of?" She asked.

"I thought I've said this before, clowns." He said.

"We both know you were full of shit." Elena replied.

"Okay, yea, I was kind of full of shit." He said. "I'm most afraid of losing you."

He rolled over on top of her and kissed her.

"But… I won't let that happen… ever…" He said.

"I didn't think so." Elena said. She kissed him back. "Also, we are totally not doing it right here."

"But come on, there's no one around." Nate said.

"Nope." She said. Elena pushed him off of her and stood up. "We have a few things to pack into the van, so come on."

"You are such a tease." He shouted after her. She flipped him off over her shoulder without turning around.

He smiled, and then ran after her.

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><p><strong> D<br>**


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